SALINAS, CA & YUMA, AZ - Exclusive market insights await, courtesy of a recent conversation with the experts at Ippolito International. As the grower transitions from Salinas Valley, California, to the Yuma, Arizona, growing region, Keith Mallet, Juan Trujillo, and Jose Fonseca detailed what to expect across multiple key categories.
“We transition most of our crops—Iceberg lettuces, leafy lettuces, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and more—into the desert of Arizona in mid-November. We do have Brussels sprout plantings in the Salinas Valley that are still in production, and we overlap these regions a bit as we have additional plantings in the desert,” shares Keith Mallet, Chief Operating Officer.
Ippolito International will continue harvesting Brussels sprouts in the Salinas Valley area through January. Once the Salinas harvest is over, the supplier will move its production to Mexico and the desert regions.
“Quality on most crops is looking very nice,” Keith continues. “Even though we have experienced some fluctuation in weather, the crops have still grown well and mostly on schedule.”
Juan Trujillo, Value Added Director, states that “so far, the tender leaves and cut vegetables we have processed look great, top quality for the start of the season. The weights make a difference as the product is harvested and when it goes through processing at our value-added facility. We have to adjust how we handle product during these times.”
Keith goes on to emphasize the importance of its growers and their wealth of expertise.
“The beginning of the desert season during transition is always a challenge,” he adds. “When we plant crops for the November harvest, the weather may be well above 100 degrees for an extended time. We rely on our growers’ expertise to grow the right varieties of each crop to allow us to harvest the best possible product.”
Jose Fonseca, Director of Harvest, also shares some season insights.
“This year, the colder weather came in earlier. During our first week in Yuma, we already had ice. At the start of the growing season, when the weather was warmer than expected, our production moved ahead. Now we have slowed down a bit due to the cold weather,” says Jose. “From a labor point of view, we are in good shape. Our growing location in Yuma is where a lot of experienced employees live, and many of them come back, year after year.”
Jose goes on to explain that the team has been operating as a well-oiled machine, especially regarding its value-added facility.
“The weeks of transition can be tricky,” Keith states. “During the fall or spring transitions, we are working through fields that are slowing down their productivity, while simultaneously gearing up productivity in the desert. The balance of fulfilling orders and managing expectations is never easy during this time of year.”
Despite any challenges posed by transition, weather, and strong demand, Ippolito International has everything its partners need to maximize success this season. Keep reading ANUK for more of the latest industry insights.
