Posts Tagged “South Texas onion shipments”
South Texas onion yields have been reduced thanks to a mid-February freeze, as loadings are getting underway.
Various growers will start harvest mid- to late March. Texas 1015 sweet onions are available from the Rio Grande Valley from March through June, and from the Uvalde/Winter Garden area from May to July.
In recent years, 60% to 70% of Texas spring onions have been sweet and yellow onion varieties, with the remainder 30% to 40% white and red onion varieties.
The Texas International Produce Association of Mission, TX reports onions withstood the February cold much better than citrus and leafy greens.
Texas onions are traditionally harvested the first of March, but the cold weather very well could delay harvest until at least mid-March.
The Onion House LLC, Weslaco, TX expects to start harvesting around about March 25 and notes this year their crop is very late.
The company observes onion crop damage from the mid-February freeze could range from 25% to 40%.
Onion acreage for The Onion House is down around 20%, with total south Texas onion acreage at less than 4,000 acres.
Shipments of Texas onions in 2020 totaled 6.05 million packages, up from 4.99 million packages in 2019 and also higher than the 5.71 million packaged shipped in 2018.
The South Texas Onion Committee of Mission, TX in February, reported onion acreage in the 35 counties making up the regulated marketing order area was about 5,000 acres, off from about 6,000 acres last year.
Industry leaders have estimated yield damage of 15% to 30% to south Texas onions due to the mid-February freeze.
South Texas onion shipments are now underway and the region has had favorable growing conditions
Acreage has been trending downward with about 6,000 acres of plantings. It wasn’t that long ago there was around 7,000 acres.
Good shipments are seen for a few months.
The Onion House LLC in Weslaco, Texas reports on its better crops in over four decades due to nearly perfect growing conditions, limited rain and moderate temperatures.
Observers cited several reasons for the decline ranging from low markets, to labor shortages, pests, disease and urbanization resulting from dramatic population growth in the Lone Star State. This is particularly true with onion production areas closer to metropolitan areas — such as Austin, San Antonio or the Rio Grande Valley. This means farmers are having to weigh the trade-off between continuing agriculture or moving into real estate. Still, much of the acreage is located in relatively remote areas.
Bland Farms of Glennville, GA grows onions on about 300 acres in South Texas, and has a normal crop. The company began shipping Mexican onions in mid February and now was starting with its Texas product. Bland expects to start its Vidalia onion loadings from Southeast Georgia in mid April.
South Texas onions and Mexican produce crossings this week have increased by double digits to many destinations (20 percent plus to some) – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
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