Consumers benefit from early peach crop in Illinois
Elizabeth Wahle, extension educator in commercial agriculture at the University of Illinois, said this year’s mild winter and spring caused peach plants to break bud early.
Wahle said bud-breaking normally occurs around April, but Illinois saw it happen in February to early March. Consumers are also benefiting from the early peach harvest because growers have been able to maintain a good price on the fruit, Wahle said.
The early harvest has been good on consumers’ taste buds as well, Wahle said.
“Consumers in Illinois, they’ve always known that Illinois is very good at producing peaches, but this has been an outstanding year for quality,” Wahle said. “Consumers are really noticing how juicy and flavorful our peaches are and the aroma coming off of them.”
Peach growers face the challenge of changing consumer preferences from peaches to other fruits in late summer and early fall, according to Wahle. People tend to think of peaches as summer fruit, and it can be more difficult to sell peaches late in the year. That hasn't happened this year.
source: ilnews.org
