Posts Tagged “Texas onion shipments”
South Texas onion shipments could be down at least 10 percent this season. Plus, here’s an update on U.S. russet potato shipments.
A year ago Texas onion acreage had declined to less than 6,000 acres. This year, under 5,000 acres are believed plantedL.
Last season it rained almost non-stop for two months, resulting in less than half a crop, while some growers were literally rained out for the season. Much acreage was abandoned and couldn’t be harvested. The 2016 Texas onion harvest should get undeway in late March.
In late February, onion volume coming from Mexico and crossing the border in South Texas was lighter than normal, but it now showing substantial increases in volume.
Meanwhile, storage onions shipped from Idaho and Oregon warehouses will be declining soon. Also, California’s Imperial Valley was the only area with good supplies in April last year, but no estimates have been released on this area yet.
Potato Shipments
Russet potato shipments have been steady, with the vast majority coming from Idaho, Colorado, and Wisconsin. Wisconsin russet shipments should continue until around mid-July. At this time some Wisconsin potato shipments then buy and sell spuds from growers in mid-Southern states.
While volumes are similar to last year in Wisconsin, 2015-16 shipments will likely be up from the five-year average and up significantly from the average over the past couple of decades.
As always, Idaho easily lead U.S. potato shipments and is averaging about 1750 truckloads per week. Colorado’s San Luis Valley is shipping about 750 truck loads of potatoes a week, while Central Wisconsin is loading about 400 truck loads each week.
The first domestic sweet onion shipments in the U.S. should get underway this week from South Texas, with product from Georgia shortly afterwards.
Texas Onion Shipments
The Lower Rio Grande Valley is just starting to dig sweet onions, with shipments of this product from South Texas to get underway within days. This is taking place the same week that onions crossing the border from Mexico are expected to end. Likewise, storage onions from Idaho, Oregon and Washington are also finishing up.
The Lone Star States is expected to have about 3,500 acres of its well-known spring onions, which are usually shipped for about six weeks from early April to mid-May. The 3,500 acres represents about a 2,000-acre decrease in plantings from a year ago.
South Texas produce shipments (grapefruit, oranges, cabbage) and Mexican produce shipments (tomatoes, watermelons, tropical fruit, vegetables) – grossing about $2800 to Chicago; about $4800 New York City.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black has set April 27 as the official shipping start date for Vidalia onions, although growers can ship before April 27 if their onions meet federal inspection requirements and are under “positive lot identification” as approved by the Federal State Inspection Service. This means Vidalias shipped before 4/27 cannot be sold as Vidalias.
Bland Farms, Glennville, Ga., has challenged the 4/27 start date in court and a judge in Atlanta ruled in favor of Bland Farms. However, the state has appealed the ruling.
A panel of three judges of the Georgia Appeals Court heard arguments Jan. 14 and have taken the case under advisement. They did not indicate when they may issue a decision.
Bland Farms, contends Black violated state law by trying to impose a new rule instead of going through the state’s legislature. The growing/shipping operation has some of the southern most fields in the Vidalia onion growing districts and believes its onions mature earlier, and should be allowed to ship under the Vidalia name prior to 4/27.