How best to describe the California strawberry market at the moment? "It's just fair and demand is also fair," says Steve Johnston of G.W. Palmer & Co. Inc.
Looking back at July, the growing conditions in Salinas-Watsonville, California for strawberries were both sunnier and warmer than normal. "That's made for a fair quality berry right now and I think consumers are telling us about that quality of berries," he says. Look no further than this time last year when the California strawberry market was $18-$20. Today? It's $10-$14. "It's just kind of a listless market right now," says Johnston.
Three months left
The growers in the region still have approximately 90 days left to go in the season –the season can stretch into November weather permitting–to get their return on investment. "It's going to be hard. They just haven't had the market that they did last year," says Johnston.
He does note though that looking ahead, as the days get shorter, the quality of the berries will improve. "Also, when kids get back to school and consumers get back into a routine, all of that will help the market," says Johnston.
Meanwhile, strawberries in Santa Maria, California have just started harvest.
For more information:
Steve Johnston
G.W. Palmer & Co., Inc.
Tel: +1 (831) 753-6578
[email protected]
http://www.gwpalmer.net/