The broccoli supply from Salinas, California right now looks fairly strong following a March transition from Yuma, Arizona. "Our season here began on time in mid-March and the production is ramping up as expected," says Estefania Luquin-Estrada of Nature's Reward. "The weather conditions have been favorable which helps."
She adds that while the start of the season saw cooler temperatures, which put the season initially back by as much as a week and a half, mild temperatures have since set in. "As far as challenges, weather variability is always our wild card, like surprise rain. Rain or heat spikes can affect planting and harvest timing. That said, we do try and stay on top of it so we can quickly change when the weather changes," says Luquin-Estrada.
Similar volume to 2024
The supply available right now is similar to the supply last year at this time and it's expected to continue to be steady. Supply is largely based on the previous year's demand.
Demand is also proving steady this season. "The market is steady and there are no indications of increased or decreased demand at this time," she says, adding that the market is similar to last year's at this time. However, changes could be ahead. "We do have a lot of Canadian customers and sometimes they go back to their homegrown produce in the summer. That said, we still have a lot of other customers that we supply to," says Luquin-Estrada.
For more information:
Estefania Luquin-Estrada
Nature's Reward
Tel: +1 (831) 754-1577
[email protected]
www.naturesreward.com