Pepper demand in Ontario good when compared to tomato
Mor Gro Farms grows greenhouse peppers for nine months out of the year. During December to March they import from Mexico. “Peppers are grown concurrently in Mexico starting with new crop. We use the same standards and food safety protocols as we do in the Canadian greenhouses.”
Throughout the year there are spikes in pepper production. “Sometimes the peppers receive flushes of more crop than usual; sometimes they receive famines and produce very little.” The pepper markets revolve around what the plants are able to produce.
Block Peppers are normally in competition with Sweet Peppers during the summer months; however, this year fared a little different. “We are receiving some competition from Larogue Peppers, but demand is down all over Canada.”
While demand for greenhouse peppers is not ideal in Canada, peppers have seen a better year than greenhouse tomatoes. “The weather in July and August was conducive for great garden and field yields,” explains Pereida. Summer in Ontario consisted of bearable high temperatures and cool nights which results in great plant growth. “There is a vast amount of tomatoes in fields and greenhouses this year and only so much space for produce in stores. The stores could not promote greenhouse vegetables fast enough.”
Despite the competition from field and garden grown peppers, consumers still have a favourite variety of Block Peppers. “Red and green are most in demand because they are more common. Yellow and orange follow, but red is definitely the most favoured.” Partnered with the colourful selection Block Peppers offer is the outstanding safety practices upheld by Ontario greenhouse growers. “Canada has a high safety standard on any grown consumables. It makes the peppers the safest to eat.”
For more information:
David Pereira
Tel: 1-800-419-4256
Info@smartybrand.com
www.smartybrand.com