Pretty much all berries are grown domestically this time of year and across the board, demand is strong leading up to the 4th of July. This article contains a concise summary of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
Blackberries
Blackberries are currently available out of Georgia, Florida and North Carolina on the east coast. In addition, California will start in the next few weeks. "The start of the domestic season saw a fairly big overlap in supply with Mexico," says Matthew Giddings with Always Fresh Farms. "Mexico seems to have extended their blackberry program and shifted more into June compared to previous years." While Always Fresh Farms also brings in blackberries from Mexico, the company shifted its focus to the domestic market as soon as that season started up.
Demand for locally grown blackberries is good, and Giddings is excited about the progress the industry is making on new varietals. "We are planting the new BK-613 variety that provides great eating characteristics," he said. "Another advantage is that the variety keeps its deep black color as there is no color regression." The new variety has been planted for Always Fresh Farms in both California and Mexico with the first harvest taking place this summer.
© Always Fresh Farms
Raspberries
The raspberry category is also welcoming some newer varieties. "We are currently harvesting these new varieties in Santa Maria and Watsonville, CA and they are also being planted in Baja and Central Mexico," shared Giddings. Domestically, harvest is starting to focus on California and Always Fresh Farms also has a small, local deal in Oregon. The category is showing growth for the company and as a result, the focus is shifting to offering a year-round program.
Blueberries
On blueberries, the domestic production window is hitting its peak. Georgia's season ended, but it was positive as a result of a good, early start. California is winding down and New Jersey's season is over the peak. Oregon will start heavy this week while Washington will be starting soon, and Michigan will get going a little later. "Taking all domestic production regions into account, the season is definitely spread out much better this year compared to last year," said Giddings. While this is positive news, supply is expected to be abundant throughout the summer as the first Peruvian blueberries have already arrived in the U.S. market in a small way. The South American country is expecting good supply and as a result, no gap is anticipated between the end of the domestic season and the start of Peru's main season. "Last year, the September window saw limited availability, but this year, continuous supply is expected for the months to come."
Strawberries
The strawberry season out of Watsonville, CA is also progressing well. "It's amazing to see how that region is able to supply pretty much the entire nation in summer," commented Giddings. Throughout the country, a lot of local production is available, but from a commercial standpoint, Watsonville is the dominant region this time of year. In the fall, production will move further south to Santa Maria where some new varieties will be harvested. "We are very excited about the progress we've been making on new strawberry varieties with a sweeter taste profile, offering a better eating experience."
"Overall, the outlook for the berry category is very positive. A lot of progress is being made on new varieties, and I am confident they will further increase consumption."
For more information:
Matthew Giddings
Always Fresh Farms
Tel: (+1) 863-401-3404
[email protected]
www.alwaysfresh.com
