Corn growers in Virginia are enjoying one of the earliest starts to the corn season they have had. Fueled by ideal weather conditions, the timing is perfect for them ahead of the busy July the 4th period. The Virginia sweet corn harvest typically lasts around eight weeks.
“Our sweet corn harvest commenced on June 20 which is one of the earliest starts we have ever had,” shared Sean McFadden of Parker Farms. “The temperatures and the amount of rainfall all worked together and made for perfect growing conditions. We are seeing both excellent volume and quality. Our sweet corn season is expected to go until the beginning of August here in Virginia depending on the weather. After that we move to our farms in northern New York.”
A corn field in Virginia
Market has picked up
When Virginia started, Georgia was still producing decent volumes of sweet corn, and therefore the market was softer. However, in the weeks leading up to July 4, prices have steadily improved as demand peaks and other regions struggle to gain momentum. For example, reports from Iowa indicate that state’s sweet corn harvest is running behind schedule due to cooler-than-normal temperatures. This has been echoed across the Midwest - which should be in full production now - and has given the edge to Virginia in terms of July 4 sales.
“The market is strong right now,” McFadden observed. “At the start, it was a little bit of a struggle, but we have now moved into a strong market, largely driven by July 4 demand. We anticipate a firm market for at least the next few weeks as the Northeast takes its time to start up.”
“Continually looking at new and alternate packaging”
Parker Farms grows the majority of its corn for the retail market. The company offers corn in bulk configurations which include wooden crates, eco-boxes and RPCs. However, McFadden says that in the future, they may expand this to other packaging options.
“80 percent of our sweet corn is shipped directly to retailers, spanning all along the I95 corridor from Boston to Miami,” he said. “We are continually looking at new and alternative packaging options. In the future we are considering introducing things like tray packs and shucked corn.”
For more information:
Sean McFadden
Parker Farms
Ph: +1 (804) 224-1990
sean@parkerfarms.net
www.parkerfarms.net