Radicchio harvest has started in Le Grand, California. “We started last week and everything looks really good,” says Marc Marchini of J. Marchini Farms. “We had a very good growing season with normal temperatures and everything was planted on time.”
This year there is increased acreage and strong yields on radicchio out of California.
Its three varieties of radicchio will continue to be harvested there for three months, after which it moves into its storage program which goes through March. “Winter is the time when radicchio shines. The quality has been really good so we’re going to have plenty of radicchio from the U.S.,” Marchini says, adding that this year it’s increased its acreage and is seeing strong yields.
Change in market
As for demand this season, it is picking up and has been since the middle of the summer and it’s exceeding expectations. Meanwhile, pricing is similar to last year and it’s likely to stay steady. “It won’t go to the extremes of last year--it got to be almost double the price by the early spring-late winter because of supply issues. I don’t foresee that happening this year. Radicchio has really consistent prices,” Marchini says.
Harvest on radicchio rosa will begin early in the new year.
Looking ahead, as part of its more colorful radicchio production, J. Marchini is also harvesting its Castelfranco, one of the mildest radicchio varieties that are also known as the “edible rose”, and it will also begin harvest on its radicchio rosa (pink radicchio) early in the new year. That will go until the end of February.
For more information:
Marc Marchini
J. Marchini Farms
Tel: +1 (559) 665-2944
[email protected]
https://jmarchinifarms.com/