BELLE GLADE, FL - Although I love the stuff, it was the bane of my existence way back when I had braces. I’m talking, of course, about corn—sweet corn, to be exact. What used to be a summertime staple has become a year-round treat. I spoke with Duda Farm Fresh Foods' Sweet Corn Commodity Manager, Bert Barnes, who enlightened me to the growing popularity of sweet corn and the impact of some precarious weather.
“The corn market is currently red hot with moderate supply and high demand,” said Bert. “Market conditions tend to climb this time of year, although this was not the case last year! Supply was extremely heavy with demand being really low.”
As with many crops, Duda’s sweet corn faced some tumultuous weather in its Florida growing regions, with over 6 inches of rain in January, most of which fell over just two days. While the rain and cold impacted harvesting, the more recent cooler temperatures and sunshine have given way to ideal growing conditions. However, the weather did have some impact on price and demand.
“A spike in price occurred after the cool, wet weather slowed growing and all but stopping harvest,” commented Bert, though he added that the overall quality during the growing season has been great.
It’s a good thing that corn crops are going strong, as I don’t know what I would do without my stalk-y snacks, especially now that I’m sans braces. I could wax poetic about my favorite cobbs, but I think it would get a little corny.
AndNowUKnow will keep you posted on all the crop updates you can handle.
