Production is humming along for California organic lemons this season.
“It’s the peak of the organic lemon season so it’s very normal for this time of year. Supplies are excellent,” says Craig Morris of Homegrown Organic Farms in Porterville, Ca. “We have a lot of fruit right now in optimum maturity and we’re really pushing for additional promotions.”
Morris adds that the rain and weather experienced in the San Joaquin Valley haven’t really affected Homegrown Organic’s lemon crop. “We’re peaking on 115s, 140s and then 95s which is right in the wheelhouse,” says Morris. “It’s ideal for both bulk and bag programs.”
Overall he adds that volume is similar to last year’s numbers.
In the meantime, demand has been good to very good for organic lemons. “It’s not a demand-exceeds- supply situation because the industry does have a lot of lemons in production right now. So I guess I’d say demand is steady,” he says, noting that about 20 percent of lemon production is in the San Joaquin Valley and the other 80 percent in southern California coastal regions.
Price matching
That means pricing is consistent with previous seasons. “It’s a good solid market,” Morris says. “But we are concerned with a potential weakening in the weeks to come because of the amount of fruit that’s available to harvest.”
Lemons will stay on peak until about mid-May and then supplies shorten up as it moves into the summer months. (The season begins October 1.) Morris is watchful however for how the fruit is developing. “There’s a bit more maturity than we’ve experienced in years prior,” he says. “Unseasonably warm temperatures and lots of rain will definitely affect the maturity of the fruit.”
For more information:
Cherie France
Homegrown Organic Farms
Tel: +1-559-306-1750
Cherie.France@hgofarms.com
www.hgofarms.com