Because of drought conditions, sizing of peaches from South Carolina have run smaller this season. A cold snap in spring affected production early in the season, but supplies have been good for the past several weeks.“We haven't had a lot of rain this summer,” said Brooke Hilliard of Abbott Farms. “Because of the drought, some of the varieties of peaches aren't as large as they normally are.” But, because the same sugar content is allocated to smaller fruit, the smaller sizes produce sweeter peaches.
On August 10, it was reported that the supply of peaches with a 2 ¼ inch minimum out of Georgia and South Carolina were fairly light. Prices for a carton of fruit with a minimum of 2 ¾ inches were between $14.85 and $17.85, and prices for a carton of fruit with a minimum of 2 ½ inches were between $12.85 and $14.85.
“We had a late cold spell with some frost that killed off some early varieties,” noted Hilliard. “But that was just a lot of the early peaches. Our supply of peaches hasn't been terribly affected. It was the late-May and June varieties that were hit, but we've had great supplies in July and August.”
Freestone peaches grow in popularity
One of the trends Hilliard has noticed is the growing preference for freestone peaches. Because they split easily and the flesh separates cleanly from the pit, consumers are more likely to buy freestone varieties. Those are the varieties that are most plentiful during this latter part of the South Carolina season, which runs through mid-September.
“It seems like a lot of people are requesting the freestone peaches, and that's become the key word with peach sales,” said Hilliard. “Freestone varieties start coming off the trees in July, and August is the peak season for them.”
For more information:
Brooke Hilliard
Abbott Farms
+1 800 764 0076