Cantaloupe and honeydew melon production has transitioned to central California. "We just finished our Yuma program last week and our California program began on June 30th," says Tom Ferguson, vice-president of sales at Classic Fruit Company.
Availability, initially, is almost exclusively on larger fruit for both cantaloupe and honeydew – 9s and jumbo 9s on cantaloupe and 5s and jumbo 5s on honeydews. "We are expecting a slight decrease next week with production due to how our fields are coming on. Some of the fields are ahead of schedule and will be harvested this week, while others were delayed, which will push those back a week," he says.
© Classic Fruit
The transition to California production is happening slightly ahead of schedule this year, which the grower-shipper welcomes because sometimes the California harvest is delayed. This way, it can have fruit before the 4th of July holiday and provide a very smooth transition from the desert.
Growing conditions have been mostly ideal in California for melons this spring. "There were a few issues, such as cooler weather earlier on, but everything has been right on schedule, and the crop is looking very good. Our farmers, from start to finish, do an outstanding job each season," says Ferguson, adding that he doesn't foresee any interruptions with supply throughout July and August. Harvest remains in this region until the middle of October, after which production moves back to Arizona.
Shifting acreage
Meanwhile, on demand, the company has made some changes this year on its acreage by intentionally and strategically removing or shifting its acreage around. This way, in July and August, instead of going up against regional deals on the East Coast or Canada, production has been moved to provide more consistent supply for the grower-shipper. "We are heavily programmed and believe we'll be able to take care of our commitments without much additional fruit impacting the market," he says, adding that this is also the fourth season of the melon alliance between Classic Fruit and Westside Produce which helps both companies provide an uninterrupted supply of fresh melons year-round.
© Classic Fruit
Pricing this season has started at very comparable levels to last year on both the cantaloupe and honeydew. With solid quality, consistent supply, and a balanced program, Classic Fruit and Westside Produce anticipate stronger pricing to be realized this season than last.
For more information:
Tom Ferguson
Classic Fruit Company
Tel: +1 (954) 426-0775
[email protected]
www.classicfruit.com
