As volumes of strawberries have started to pick up, California growers are on pace to produce more fruit than in previous years. Though rain is predicted for some of the state's heavy-producing areas, it's anticipated the moisture will most likely have no effect on the fruit.While the supply of fruit has been increasing significantly in the last few weeks, peak volumes have yet to be reached, says Carolyn O'Donnell, Communications Director for the California Strawberry Commission.
"Strawberry supplies should climb over the next two to three weeks," she says, "and they'll reach a peak which should hold steady through July." She notes that there have been steady increases in weekly production which spiked last week at 2 million boxes. Peak weekly production is estimated to be between four and five million boxes per week.
Though this is the time of year when strawberry production increases, the rate of production is still high when compared to similar points during previous years. O'Donnell points out that, as of last week, total state production for the year was 11.8 million boxes. Mid-March totals for 2011 and 2010 were 7.3 million and 8.1 million, respectively.
Most of the production is currently centred in the Oxnard region, and though rain is expected there this weekend, O'Donnell doesn't think it will hurt any of the crop.
"The only way there would be damage is if there's a very hard rain, and that doesn't seem likely," she says.