California's apricot harvest is just a few weeks away, with growers in the Central Valley feeling positive about the upcoming season. Despite predictions for a later start than normal, early signs indicate a good solid crop which is in contrast to the last few years when growers in California experienced some losses.
"The apricot season is going to be five to seven days later than normal this year," explained Jeff Simonian of Simonian Fruit Company. "All crops are late this year in California, with the cooler temperatures and heavy rain back in early spring a major factor. Harvesting is expected to start during the third week of May in the Fresno County area. The last couple of seasons have seen light and spotty volumes, but this year we are very optimistic as it looks to be a very good crop in terms of yield and quality."
Overall, conditions leading up to the harvest have been good and the trees have acquired a sufficient number of chill hours as well as additional water this year compared with previous years. However, Simonian warned it's only early days yet. "Although we are feeling very positive, we also realize that apricots are a delicate fruit and are more susceptible to things like wind and extreme temperatures compared to other fruits, so we can only be sure of final numbers as the season moves along."
Apricots one of the last "niche crops"
The California stone fruit season features prominently in the produce calendar. Cherries, peaches and nectarines are already in harvest, with all this year's stone fruit crops showing positive signs. Apricots make up one of the smaller groups of the stone fruit varieties in terms of season length and volume. According to Simonian, this makes apricots a special crop and the company enjoys supplying them.
"It's about a six week harvest window for California apricots," he shared. "It's really one of the few niche crops left. A lot of products are now available year-round and from various regions, but apricots are unique in that and this helps to build excitement for the California season. It's a good crop to grow and we enjoy producing them."
"When it comes to packaging, Simonian Fruit Company has a lot of different options," he continued. "From tray packs, to volume fills, to clamshells of any size, it really depends on what the customer wants and we are able to cover almost any configuration."
For more information:
Jeff Simonian
Simonian Fruit Company
Ph: +1 (559) 834-5307
[email protected]
www.simonianfruit.com
