Monte Vista Potato Growers plans shed expansion, organics in 2016
Monte Vista Potato Growers plans shed expansion, organics in 2016
Steady movement through the holidays and continued brisk trade with Mexico gave Monte Vista Potato Growers a good start for 2016, and General Manager Jason Tillman said plans are in the works for expansion at the warehouse level and in the product manifest this year, with limited organic acreage being planted.
“We’re looking at a big warehouse expansion,” Tillman told The Produce News in January. “We’re adding more packing capabilities and more automation.”
Tillman said labor is one factor in the decision to expand the facility, but he said meeting customer demands is a critical component.
“We need to do more specialty packs,” he said, noting Monte Vista Potato Growers will offer more 5-9 and 6-13 sizes.
“We’re getting a big electronic sizer,” he said. The GM said most of the equipment being purchased is manufactured in the United States.
Another major step for the cooperative is expansion into certified organic spuds at the same time overall volume is increased.
“This year we’re hoping to increase our russet Norkotah volume, and we’re also looking to increase the volume we run through the shed, maybe bringing in some outside growers,” he said.
“And a couple of our growers are testing organics on limited acreage,” he said. The ground has been certified and is ready to plant, and Tillman said, “It has a lot of potential. Our first shot will be mostly russets.”
Tillman said the test will determine if more organics are planted in 2017, but he cautioned, “If everybody jumps into it, we’ll crash that market. So we want to take it slow.”
Looking at the market line-up, Tillman said Mexico is a major buyer for MVPG spuds, and he said the co-op works with other shippers in that deal. Leading into the holidays, Tillman had noted that between 25-30 percent of the shed’s potatoes were going into Mexico, and the Southeast and Walmart also are important.
“We’re still plugging along, taking care of our good customers,” he said. Currently MVPG offers three-, five-, 10-, 15- and 20-pound bags as well as cartons, 50-pound burlap and 50-pound paper sacks.
Supplies remain good, and the shed is on track to run through July, closing for upgrades before the next season starts.
