Warm weather in California has sped along the strawberry season. Though volumes are good, it's not known whether shortages will appear later in the season.“The plants think it's spring,” said Cindy Jewell of California Giant Berry Farms. “We're harvesting all the way up to Salinas, which usually doesn't happen until the end of March.” She pointed to warm weather and a lack of rain as the reasons why the season has advanced so quickly. But the fast pace hasn't affected quality, and good production is currently being reported.
“The big question is whether we'll have a shortage,” said Jewell. “The Northern Districts will come on sooner, so there probably won't be a lot of supply gaps. It's proving to be a good season, but whether we'll end the season sooner than normal is still unknown.”
Good volumes should be available for the Easter holiday, so the market should be steady. But if supplies from Florida dip, then California berries will be in higher demand and prices will go up. On February 27, prices for a flat of strawberries out of California were between $8.00 and $10.00.
For more information:
Cindy Jewell
California Giant Berry Farms
+1 831 728 1965