Florida’s strawberry season runs from the end of November through to the middle of April. Overall acreage is down throughout Florida in comparison to last season. Wish Farms planted similar acreage to last year, focusing on the Radiance, Festival, and Albion varieties of strawberries and continuing trials with newer varieties like Florida Sensation.
Florida strawberry growers benefited from favorable weather. “We did have some rain during our planting schedule, which pushed back planting just a bit.” The largest threat this season does not come in the form of weather or pests, but rather labor availablility. “Finding consistent skilled labor continues to be an issue for our industry.”
While there is no direct opposition between Florida and California, Mexico poses competition to domestic strawberry markets within the United States. To create consumer awareness, Wish Farms has placed an American flag on their containers. “We believe consumers value USA grown strawberries. Rather than consumers having to read the fine print stating the country of origin, we want to proudly promote USA grown product.”
For more information:
Amber Kosinsky
Wish Farms
Tel: (813) 752-5111
Fax: (813) 752-9472
Info@wishfarms.com
www.wishfarms.com