CALIFORNIA - With the 4th of July approaching, along with summer warmth that will prompt consumer palates to seek more refreshing avenues, reports are coming in that it’s a strong time for strawberries.
“It’s getting hot so a lot of people are looking to get creative with water by adding berries to their water, and smoothies of course,” Kyla Oberman, Director of Marketing for Naturipe Farms, tells me. With Independence Day coming up, she said that it is a good time to promote the red, white and blue combination that summer berries provide. “The weather is ideal and the quality for strawberries has been excellent.”
Demand is reportedly keeping up with the volume that the warm weather is producing. As of June 18, 2015, the USDA reported that prices out of Salinas-Watsonville, California are at $8.00 - $9.00 for med-large sizes of conventional strawberries in flat eight one-pound containers, $10.00 - $12.00 for med-large sizes of organic in flat eight one-pound containers. These numbers remained consistent out of Santa Maria, California, as well, according to the site.
“The weather is going to be pretty steady for the next few weeks with mild temperatures, so volume will be consistent as a result,” Cindy Jewell, VP of Marketing for California Giant Berry Farms, tells me. The company is currently harvesting out of Santa Maria, Salinas, and Watsonville, California. “We are getting those foggy mornings and nights with low 70’s during the afternoon, which means steady peak season strawberries are going to be available throughout the rest of June and through the July 4th holiday period.”
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