CALIFORNIA - April showers came early this year in California, with most of the state experiencing heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures throughout the month of March. And with Easter just around the corner, retailers are gearing up for springtime produce, which, for California Giant Berry Farms, means strawberries!
But with the unruly weather not letting up these past couple of weeks, I caught up with Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing, to find out how California Giant’s season is faring despite Mother Nature’s barrage.
“This year, we might fall a little short of expectations as our farmers are continuing to battle with Mother Nature, who has settled in over California with one cold front after another. We had a significant frost at the end of February that affected plants and have had rain on and off ever since,” Cindy tells me. “In Oxnard and Santa Maria, we are keeping fields clean and harvesting limited quantities each week during March, while in Watsonville and Salinas, we are not harvesting, but should be back in the fields by the end of the month. We are currently experiencing a tight market with potential relief coming soon.”
Despite the onslaught of rain, the forecast is clearing up, with dryer and warmer weather on its way for the end of March. Cindy explains this means that volume will turn around quickly in Oxnard and Santa Maria, which will bring retailers promotable volume by mid-April. By then, all three districts in California will be harvesting and, Cindy believes, overcoming the prior weather hiccups as the company heads into peak strawberry season.
“We are making a very strong effort to stay in constant communication with our customers daily on the phone and with our weekly blog that features detailed crop information and photos from each growing region. We can’t stress enough that once this weather turns, the volume will come on quickly, so we look forward to a strong April and May for California fruit as days get longer and night time temperatures warm up,” Cindy concludes.
With strawberry volume expected to be on the up-and-up come April, this spring is sure to be blooming thanks to California Giant’s dedication to fresh, delicious berries.
For more of the latest on crops throughout our industry, stay tuned to AndNowUKnow.
