The organic apricot season is about to begin in California, with early varieties set to be harvested from the middle of June. The weather has been cooler than some growers prefer, but has not affected the trees in any negative way.
"Our first organic apricot crop, the Golden Sweet, is about to begin harvest from the second week of June, followed by the second crop, Patterson in mid July," said AJ Rivas of Olson Family Farms in Kingsburg California. "So far, conditions for the most part in our area of the Central Valley have been very good in the lead up to the season. We really prefer a lot of heat, a lot of sunshine, but over the last couple of weeks it has been overcast and a little cooler than normal. However, it is not to the point where it has affected growth. It might even help since the cooler weather slows the ripening process and will allow for a more uniformed ripening of the apricots. Additionally, we have not had any late rain which can be detrimental to the crop. The forecast has indicated that the weather is set to clear up from next week and we are hoping for warmer temperatures."
Rivas further explained that growing organic means being more dependent on the weather. "Weather plays a big factor in all fruit development, but especially with organics. With organic fruit comes a short shelf life, primarily due to the lack of post-harvest fungicide spraying. But good weather can help our fruit grow more consistently and as a result, have a better shelf life. Preparation for the next crop is a year long process, so we are working year round to prepare for a successful season."
Demand consistently high
Apricots are one of the least produced stone fruits, and widely considered a niche item. This is further enhanced for the organic category, and growers are experiencing high demand for the fruit. According to Rivas, most of their upcoming crop has already been sold.
"Demand is always high for apricots and even more so for organic apricots," he said. "Along with pluots, they are a stone fruit with comparatively little production and are one of the more difficult items to get a hold of. Most of our crop has already been presold. One of the reasons that apricots are not as widely grown are because they are sensitive and more difficult to grow. Farmers often stick with consistently higher yielding fruits such as peaches and nectarines to guarantee moveable volumes."
Rivas noted that despite the limited supply, apricots do have a wide range of popularity in other uses. "We can easily sell the peak quality apricots on the fresh market and for retail," he explained. "The choice quality are also in high demand for processing. Dried apricots, for example, are extremely popular. It's a great stone fruit and we are excited to be going in the direction we are."
Tray packs still preferred
Despite the trend to present produce in various forms of packaging, Rivas said that the traditional single layer tray pack is still the most popular for apricots. He did, however, mention that Olson Family Farms offers clamshells for certain programs, adding that many farmers also prefer them.
"Most apricots are still sold in single layer tray packs and it is indeed the best way to pack them," he said. "We might do a 1lb clamshell pack depending on the program. Farmers see the advantage of the clamshell for its ease of packing and it’s also considered a more consumer friendly package. However, the tray packs are still the most popular and we don't see that changing in the near future."
For more information:
AJ Rivas
Olson Family Farms
Tel: +1 (559) 897-5114