Crop Report: September 20th, 2021
Tomatoes
Conventionals – Harvest continues. We are well into the late season planting and yields are looking great. We did have some rain last week that is effecting fields where the fruit is the most mature. Growers are doing their best to mitigate potential loss from this rain event by harvesting fields as soon as possible and puting more sorters on the harvesters.
San Marzano Style – Harvest completed Friday , August 20th.Although our quality of plum tomatoes was quite good and yield per tons delivered was exceptional, our crop came in at 55% of desired. Products that use this tomato will be limited on availability due to this unforeseen outcome.
Organics – Harvest and production completed at the Woodland canning facility at 6am on Monday, June 26th. In review, our organic tomato crop picked out at 70% of expectations with a disappointing yield that affected our peeling percentage and total cases produced this summer.
Peaches
Organics – Harvest completed on Monday, September 6th.
Conventionals – Harvest was completed on Friday, September 10th. This year’s crop was hampered by unusually hot spring temperatures, an ongoing California drought, and lack of deep soil moisture which affected fruit sizing. As harvest unfolded, our expectations of 150,000 tons turned out to be 13% short and will affect our overall supply of finished canned goods this next year. As always, we will do our best to help our valued customers stay in stock through to new pack, but with this tightened supply our carryover has been effectively eliminated. We will ask for patience and understanding as we approach June 2022 when supply for valued customers will likely become hand to mouth and precarious for reaching new pack, which should commence on or around July 10, 2022.
Pears
Harvest has completed in the River and Linden Districts. Mendocino and Lake District growers are wrapping up harvest this week.
Grapes
Harvest is nearly complete. Last day is expected to be this Wednesday, September 22nd.
Cherries
Harvest completed last Friday, August 20th.
Apricots
Harvest was completed July 7th. Fruit quality was clean throughout harvest. Sizing issues were apparent but growers helped to sort out small fruit. Based on trends next season will be a smaller crop however growers will do what they can to mitigate if possible.
Mango
Harvest was late but overall quality is good and ample. Plants continue to face impacts from COVID as they struggled with labor. We continue to face increased costs due to labor and raw material cost increases.
Pineapple
COVID continues to hinder the workforce as labor typically comes into these countries from other Southeast Asian countries. Because of this, plants are operating at 65% capacity and are not running as efficient. Crop looks ample & positive for this summer’s pack as well as the winter crop.
Oysters
This year’s crop was good. Overall size was slightly smaller than average. We continue to face increased costs due to supply chain and COVID regulations.
Peaches
Peaches in Greece were effected by a large frost event that occurred during bloom this spring. This has effected the overall volume for this harvest. Pricing is still not determined. Chinese peaches suffered fruit loss as well due to weather. Fruit cost has gone up over 20%.