White, sweet corn has begun harvesting in the Salinas, California area. "The corn is starting a little bit early this year–just before the 4th of July, which is a seasonal demand window that we try and hit," says Dan Holt, vice president of sales for Hitchcock Farms, adding that the harvest is starting about five days early.
© Hitchcock Farms
For the grower-shipper, its white, sweet corn season generally begins in late June to early July and goes until mid-October. "Last year, we went all the way through the first week of November, which is very unusual. There were some gaps in planting and catch-ups that I don't necessarily see this year. We didn't have as much disruption as we had in the last couple of years in the planting time frames," says Holt.
As for its volume, plantings for the company are similar to last year, though there are early reports that the industry has planted less in some windows this summer and fall. Peak supply often fluctuates with the weather. Last year's peak supply was in late July when the region saw much higher temperatures. "That's generally what we'll expect this year as well, though so far, it's been fairly cool," says Holt.
Stronger demand for 2025
Meanwhile, demand so far is good for white sweet corn, which is a specialty program for Hitchcock Farms. It primarily runs a year-round vegetable program, which includes items such as Brussels sprouts, romaine lettuce, and more. "Compared to last year, demand is probably a little bit better," says Holt. "The market conditions are a little bit higher and better at this point than they were last year. Pre-holiday and holiday ads are booked strong, and then afterwards, we expect demand to drop a bit after July 4th."
© Hitchcock Farms
That will likely soften pricing somewhat as well. "Then, depending on how the different districts are with their quality of supply, we might see prices firm up as the season goes on," says Holt, adding that last year, mid-season saw industry supply tighten up on the West Coast and pricing responded from September onwards. Last year also saw fewer plantings in the industry, and there were also potential quality issues that ultimately helped strengthen pricing from September onwards.
For more information:
Dan Holt
Hitchcock Farms
Tel: +1 (831) 424-8952
https://www.hitchcockfarms.com
