L&M extends Mexican program
L&M extends Mexican program
Raleigh, NC-based L&M Cos. is anticipating an exciting season with its Mexican crops this year. John McDaniel, sales and operations director for the company’s Nogales, AZ, operation, told The Produce News that the company’s numbers have increased.
“Not only that,” said McDaniel. “We have extended our season to include the Sonoran season on both ends.
“This year our showcase is our tomato category,” he continued. “Due to last year’s outstanding program we have increased this year’s by 40 percent.”
The company’s Mexican tomato program will begin on Dec. 15 and run through mid-May.
“Other exciting news is that L&M has added a new Mexican grape tomato program,” said McDaniel. “These will be shipping out of McAllen, TX, starting in mid-February. The program will run through mid- to late May. Our Roma tomato program remains consistent throughout the winter.”
L&M will have consistent volumes of summer squash this season. Movement began in October and will run through mid-May. McDaniel explained that production starts in Sonora and then shifts to Sinaloa in mid-December. In early to mid-March, it shifts back to Sonora.
“We are also very excited to add hard squashes to our solid program in Nogales,” said McDaniel. “And we will begin shipping hard squashes through McAllen in mid-December. This programs runs through late April.”
He also reported an outstanding crop of consistent high-quality cucumbers in Mexico, a category the company continues to grow.
“Our cucumber category has gotten longer and larger,” McDaniel pointed out. “We are expecting a 20 percent increase in volume this year over last season. And we have added Persian cucumbers from Northwest Mexico this year.
“Our bell pepper program continues to be strong, with minimal increases from prior years,” he added.
L&M’s chili category is consistent and it also continues to grow every year.
“To extend our chili pepper season we have added a grower in the Sonora area,” explained McDaniel. “We are now producing chili peppers from mid-November through mid-May.”
The majority of customers served by the Nogales branch of L&M are located west of the Mississippi River.