<p>Prime Time International has begun its product transition from Nogales to Baja, California. Nogales was touched by some hurricane type events last year that caused replanting, and knocked blooms to the ground, affecting the size of some of the peppers. Currently, those peppers are about a size smaller than normal but volume is good, Mike Aiton, Director of Marketing, tells us.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“As we begin to make the transition, the market seems to be perking up as volumes decrease before going into full production in Baja. In Baja we will harvest bells and tomatoes and are looking at a near seamless transition. Prime Time will then be moving into Coachella in the coming months where we grow red, green and yellow bells along with seedless watermelon and sweet corn,” Aiton notes.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“Despite a lot of weather events in our growing areas, we came through pretty well and weather has actually advanced our start dates by about a week,” Aiton tells us.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>As for Coachella, Prime Time will transition greens around the 10th to 15th with reds around mid-May. Watermelons will come in towards the first part of May as well as corn. All items are shaping up to peak just in time for Memorial Day.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Aiton reflects, “Retailers should start ad planning now on Memorial Day items. Corn and Watermelon are top of mind. It’s a good time to start talking to shippers to begin planning on how they want to merchandise.” </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>To support the company’s Coachella program, Prime Time undertook updating and remodeling its packinghouse in the region during the winter to better withstand weather and any production challenges that may come along.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>These upcoming months are the biggest for Prime Time and everything is shaping up well for the spring and summer.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.primetimeproduce.com/produce/peppers_365" target="_new"> Prime Time Produce</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
