Oregon onion industry expects a challenging season ahead
One of the main sources was a winter not seen in decades. It dumped piles of snow and took down or heavily damaged a number of buildings, including a number of onions sheds both packing and storage.
While Murakami produce did not have any buildings lost, there were building which were damaged, coupled with the cost of a lot of snow removal. All in all, however, things turned out not too bad, Grant Kitamura from Murakami Produce said.
"I didn't lose any onions," he said, but, "It was an expensive winter."
Another challenge is the cost of building materials, he said, which have gone way up. Shay Myers, at Owyhee Produce agreed, saying that prices have gone up 20 to 25 percent since the beginning of the year.
"We're just getting started," Myers said, of the rebuilding process. The company lost four buildings totally. The rebuilding process was started early, he said, and site preparation has started for its new facilities, both packaging and storage.
Another challenge is the continuing wet weather which delayed planting early and set back growth in the crops. Ontario area farmer Bruce Corn said his crops were about three weeks behind and there is a concern about hay getting over mature before the first cutting.
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