A healthy balanced crop. That’s how one grower describes this year’s California plumcot crop.
“It’s a good solid year for overall stone fruit production,” says Don Goforth with Family Tree Farms in Reedley, CA. “This year it’s looking like a nice healthy balanced set and it’s a very similar crop to last year. A normal set is where we like it because it allows the fruit size to be nice and big. Sometimes if you have a really heavy set, you have to thin a lot of fruit to get size on the trees.”
The crop is slightly earlier compared to the 10-year average, notes Goforth although it’s a few days later than last year. (Notably: 2019’s crop was an early one). The plumcot season, which begins in May, fields numerous varieties, and goes until early November.
Meanwhile meeting that solid crop is great demand domestically and on exports. “Asia is very important with plumcots and last year we were hit with a very very high tariff. It looks like that tariff will be lifted this year and that will allow a healthy export market,” says Goforth.
Consumers looking for new things
At the same time, domestic demand is strong. “Produce sales are very high because people aren’t eating out,” says Goforth. “Consumers are discovering new items and that’s going to lead to people buying things that they never thought they were going to buy.” He notes that the millennial mindset of looking out for new products to try has also helped keep sales strong. “It’s an age group that’s very interested in whatever is new and we fit that well,” he says.
This level of demand is not necessarily what Family Tree anticipated following the pandemic’s effect on the economy. “We were thinking consumers would be very conservative in their buying due to an uncertain economy,” says Goforth. “But families are discovering how to cook again so we’re seeing a lot of interest.”
Altogether this is making for a healthier and more stable plumcot market. “It’s a nice balance of supply and demand,” says Goforth. As for pricing, while prices dipped in early May when retailers were altering the number of SKUs being offered to consumers, once the market moved past that, pricing returned to near or slightly better than normal.
Looking ahead, with the domestic July 4th holiday period coming up as well as holidays overseas in Asia, Goforth believes demand will continue to be strong and movement steady.
For more information:
Don Goforth
Family Tree Farms
Tel: (+1) 559-591-6280
dgoforth@familytreefarms.com
www.familytreefarms.com