This year, the first Vidalia onions will be leaving the packing shed on April 12. The hand-harvested onions are dried for 5-7 days before they are shipped out. “Typically, the season begins at the end of April, but unseasonably mild weather and warm temperatures made the crop mature faster,” says Susan Waters of the Vidalia Onion Committee. As a result, the Committee and its Advisory Panel set an April 12 start date. The onions will be harvested until the end of June and available at US and Canadian retail stores through Labor Day.
Vidalia onions are grown in Southeast Georgia. That part of the state has 20 counties and 13 of them as well as parts of the seven remaining counties are designated Vidalia onion growing regions. “We are protected under Federal Marketing order since 1989,” shared Waters. The trademark was registered in 1992. Certain seed varieties are approved to grow as Vidalia onions and the farm must be based in one of the 20 counties.
Distributed in US and Canada
Waters is looking forward to a good year. “We usually have one cold spell before Easter and that took place mid-March, but our onions can withstand cold weather for a few days,” added Waters. Vidalia onions are popular because of their sweetness and versatility of use. They are mainly sold in the Eastern US as that’s where they were first distributed back in the day. However, they also make their way into other parts of the US and into Canada. In controlled atmosphere storage, they can be kept until the beginning of September.
Acreage is stable and stays right around 12,000 acres. In an average year, about 4.5 billion 40 pound units (boxes) are harvested and distributed in bins or bags. “Big box stores often want to sell them in bulk as well as bags,” said Waters. “We like bags as it allows us to add recipes.” Last year, harvest amounted to 5.6 million units, which was really high. The Vidalia onion is the fastest growing organic commodity in the state of Georgia. Despite acreage growth, organic Vidalia production is still unable to meet market demands.
For more information:
Susan A. Waters
Vidalia Onion Committee
Tel: 912-537-1819