Eggplant growers in Georgia are welcoming the rainfall that is expected over the region. The lack of rain in recent weeks and warmer temperatures mean that the ground needs more moisture for it to flourish.
"We haven't had much rain in our area, the last rainfall being three weeks ago," said Sam Watson of Chill C Farms. "There were a few overcast days but it has been generally very warm and dry. The rain is very welcome as we need to get moisture back into the soil and avoid any stress on the plants. It will also cool things off, making it more comfortable for working in the field."
Overall however, the crop is looking good and harvest is expected to begin in a few weeks, slightly later than usual. "Eggplant harvest is still a few weeks off," Watson noted. "Spring conditions were cool which has caused the crop to run behind schedule. The plants are looking healthy and at this stage, we're expecting to have a pretty good crop. Last year we lost our entire eggplant crop due to freeze conditions. Therefore we waited a bit longer this year to start planting because we didn't want to take any risks."
Florida finishing up
The Florida eggplant season is still continuing for another few weeks. Volume has remained steady, with good quality due to stable weather conditions the last few weeks. With solid production, prices have declined, but suppliers are predicting it will be a smooth transition to the Georgia crop.
"When we finished our eggplant season last fall, demand was very good," Watson recalled. "They're still finishing up in Florida, which is the case on most items. Florida has had very good weather and a number of produce items are cheap, such as cabbage. Eggplant is one of the last of the Florida crops to finish but they should be completed before the Georgia season begins. We are hoping that this season will be a good one. Everything is well set up for it and the crop is looking very good."
For more information:
Sam Watson
Chill C. Farms
Tel: +1 (229) 941-5859