Vidalia onion production in U.S. Georgia is showing smaller bulb sizes this season due to drought conditions. According to University of Georgia Extension Onion Agent Chris Tyson, limited rainfall during the growing period has affected crop development.
"When you don't really get any rain, especially in the springtime when the crop is trying to grow in, it can affect the size," Tyson explains. "And that's some of what we're seeing this year. Some of the onions may not be quite as big as they would normally get, so that's one thing that we've had to deal with."
Vidalia onions are produced in a designated 20-county region in southeast Georgia, where soil and climate conditions determine product characteristics. Growers continue to manage production through irrigation and fertilisation to maintain quality standards.
"We're able to fertilize, we're able to irrigate," says Toombs County Extension Agent Jason Enfield. "We're able to manage those nutrients that help give us that true Vidalia flavor that our growers are pushing so hard to get."
The crop has an annual farm-gate value of more than US$150 million. This season, more than 10,000 acres (4,047 hectares) have been planted, in line with typical production levels.
Source: RFDTV
