ATLANTA, GA - You know spring has sprung when the Vidalia® onion pack date is announced! As of yesterday, the iconic, sweet onion is ready to hit stores around the country, as both the Vidalia Onion Committee and the Georgia Department of Agriculture set April 16 as the official pack date.
“We are going to have a strong harvest this year,” said Aries Haygood, the newly elected Chairman of the Vidalia Onion Committee. He also noted that 9,400 acres of Vidalia onions were planted for the season. In addition, Haygood touted the continuance of the Sweet Life marketing campaign launched last year. “The campaign has enabled us to elevate our brand with broad groups of consumers who value good taste and living well.”
According to a press release, Vidalia onions are prized because they are hand-cultivated by 60 registered growers in 20 southeastern Georgia counties.
For those who follow the crop, the pack date is an annual rite of spring—given that the onion itself is only available a short time of the year. Each pack date differs due to the fact that they are determined by the soil and weather conditions of each growing season. This helps ensure only the highest quality Vidalia onions are shipped to stores.
“Along with the Vidalia Onion Committee, I am pleased to announce April 16, 2020, as the official pack date for Vidalia onions,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “As the keeper of the official trademark for our state vegetable, we are proud of the reputation Vidalia onions have earned around the world by both renowned chefs and home cooks.”
The press release also noted that Vidalia onions represent approximately 40 percent of the sweet onion market in the country and are sold in every state. To be considered a Vidalia onion, the vegetables must be cultivated in the South Georgia soil from a distinctive Granex seed and packed and sold on or after the official pack date each year.
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