REIDSVILLE, GA - As September closes, Shuman Produce is poised for a banner year in its high quality RealSweet® Peruvian sweet onion program, shipping through February. These southern hemisphere sweet onions are as closely related to RealSweet® Vidalia® onions as one can find.
“One of the most important aspects of our Peruvian sweet onion program is the impact it has on the local economy of Southeast Georgia, where Shuman Produce is located. Many of the Peruvian onions that enter the United States do so through the Port of Savannah,” John Shuman, President of Shuman Produce, said. “The proximity of this port to our packing facilities in Southeast Georgia makes for a perfect match.”
According to the company, the Shuman packing facilities in Southeast Georgia are also able to employ a steady workforce of highly skilled labor thanks to the year-round sweet onion program the Peruvian onion allows. Shuman Produce will market its RealSweet® Peruvian sweet onions through the fall and winter months.
“The Georgia Ports Authority operates the Port of Savannah which employs over 1,000 residents of Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, and has an economic impact on over 360,000 jobs throughout the Southeast,” added Shuman.
While the growing region in Peru is located in a very arid climate region, all Shuman Produce fields are irrigated using drip irrigation to conserve this most precious resource. By controlling moisture levels, an ideal climate is created for growing truly sweet onions when they aren’t domestically available here in the U.S.
