Florida tomatoes suffer again
Florida tomatoes suffer again
Year-to-date, the Florida tomato industry is behind by about 6 million boxes from previous years. Approximately 5 million of that figure is directly attributable to crop damage and losses that resulted from the four hurricanes that hit the state in August and September of last year. But the remaining 1 million-box decline is being blamed on spring shortages due to unusually bad weather in the state during the current growing season as well as some sporadic disease problems.
Reggie Brown, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee in Maitland, FL, told The Produce News on Wednesday, April 13 that growers in the Homestead area " the southeastern region of the state " were wrapping up production.
?Growers in the Immokalee area, in the southwestern part of the state, are also beginning to wrap up," said Mr. Brown. "And reports coming out of that region also indicate that crops are light. The Palmetto-Ruskin area, which is south of Tampa, will start next week. The remainder of growers are slated to join in the following week. Overall, crops are looking pretty light from all the regions, but growers are hopeful that they will become more normal as we head deeper into the season."
Carlo LaPorta, sales manager for Tomatoes of Ruskin Inc. in Ruskin, FL, said that crops in the Immokalee area did not set well this season for several reasons, and the resulting shortages are driving prices higher in the market.
?As long as some product was moving, we weren?t seeing a tremendous change in prices," he said. "Between what Florida was able to ship, combined with product from Mexico and other areas, the shortage indication was not out there. But as soon as people started looking for tomatoes, which happened this week, the market responded with increased prices."
Mr. LaPorta said that on April 13, prices opened at $20 for extra-large size tomatoes, $18 for large sizes and $15 for mediums, all with an additional $1.20 tacked on for handling.
?The primary cause of the shortage is the rainy and cool season we?ve had this year," Mr. LaPorta said. "Supplies are expected to remain short for about three weeks, and then move back to normal levels " that is if the coming crops aren?t also hampered by bad weather and disease."
Joseph Esformes, a managing partner of Pacific Tomato Growers in Palmetto, FL, said that all the early spring crops in the state were affected by factors that have lead to the tomato shortage.
Yields are way down, said Mr. Esformes. "From what I have seen and heard, the early plantings in the Palmetto-Ruskin area are also affected. Crops there normally start by April 20. We don?t think there will be volume until about May 10 this year, and they look light."
Mr. Esformes agreed that prices were up as high as $20 on extra-large sizes on April 13. He added that prices have been as low as $7 in past years, so there is no "normal? price, and $20 is considered high, just as $7 is considered a low end of the scale.
?The demand from our shortages is now being felt all over the country," he added. "We are even seeing increased demand in Mexico and Canada for product to fill in the void. Mexico?s volumes are not sufficient enough to take care of the demand, and we are now hearing that the Canadian market is up on greenhouse product."
Mr. Esformes added that as he spoke with The Produce News on April 13, the weather was again unstable in Florida.
Jim DiMenna is the president of both J-D Marketing and Jem-D International in Leamington, ON. The companies market and distribute a full line of greenhouse vegetables produced by Ontario growers, and greenhouse-grown tomatoes are one of the primary categories grown in the area.
?Production is at normal levels in Canada," said Mr. DiMenna. "But we are feeling the extra demand for product due to what is currently happening in Florida and Mexico. Shortages in both countries have resulted in an active market for Canada?s greenhouse growers. It's good for business because the demand for our product is higher than normal, which drives prices higher."
Mr. DiMenna said that it is nearly impossible to put exact figures or percentages on increase amounts because they change from day to day and even moment to moment during an active spot market. He said that regular customers are serviced first, but those who do not normally source greenhouse product are creating the current spot market.
?It is also important for those involved in greenhouse supplies to stay tuned into how things change in Florida in the coming weeks," Mr. DiMenna continued. "Producers here will likely try to fill the void wherever they can, and they will have the advantage of a high spot market, but they won?t start gearing up for long-term movement. We fully expect Florida to recover as the weather improves, likely within the next few weeks. As soon as production is back to normal in the state, demand and prices on greenhouse product will coincide by dropping."
Mr. DiMenna said that the current situation is similar to what Ontario?s growers experienced following the hurricanes last fall. Damage to Florida tomato crops was such that the demand for greenhouse product to fill in the void was strong. But as soon as production went back to normal and Florida growers got back into the swing, demand for greenhouse product also dropped.
?It is a beneficial situation for Canadian growers, even if it is for the short term," Mr. DiMenna added. "It gives them a bit of a needed edge on their overhead. That is especially needed at this time in history, when all expenses are high. We need good active markets just like other types of growers in all areas of the continent do, and this gives them a little window in which to flourish."
Mr. Brown added that some disease problems have also been seen on Florida?s crops this season, likely carried over from last fall.
?Tomato yellow leaf curl virus causes affected plants to produce either no fruit or reduced numbers of small fruit," said Mr. Brown. "In short, it prevents a plant from producing a yield. It is believed that it can be carried over from one season to another unless it is destroyed by a freeze. It's possible that the current infestation is carried over from last fall?s crops and we simply didn?t have cold-enough weather to kill it off completely during the winter."
Reggie Brown, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee in Maitland, FL, told The Produce News on Wednesday, April 13 that growers in the Homestead area " the southeastern region of the state " were wrapping up production.
?Growers in the Immokalee area, in the southwestern part of the state, are also beginning to wrap up," said Mr. Brown. "And reports coming out of that region also indicate that crops are light. The Palmetto-Ruskin area, which is south of Tampa, will start next week. The remainder of growers are slated to join in the following week. Overall, crops are looking pretty light from all the regions, but growers are hopeful that they will become more normal as we head deeper into the season."
Carlo LaPorta, sales manager for Tomatoes of Ruskin Inc. in Ruskin, FL, said that crops in the Immokalee area did not set well this season for several reasons, and the resulting shortages are driving prices higher in the market.
?As long as some product was moving, we weren?t seeing a tremendous change in prices," he said. "Between what Florida was able to ship, combined with product from Mexico and other areas, the shortage indication was not out there. But as soon as people started looking for tomatoes, which happened this week, the market responded with increased prices."
Mr. LaPorta said that on April 13, prices opened at $20 for extra-large size tomatoes, $18 for large sizes and $15 for mediums, all with an additional $1.20 tacked on for handling.
?The primary cause of the shortage is the rainy and cool season we?ve had this year," Mr. LaPorta said. "Supplies are expected to remain short for about three weeks, and then move back to normal levels " that is if the coming crops aren?t also hampered by bad weather and disease."
Joseph Esformes, a managing partner of Pacific Tomato Growers in Palmetto, FL, said that all the early spring crops in the state were affected by factors that have lead to the tomato shortage.
Yields are way down, said Mr. Esformes. "From what I have seen and heard, the early plantings in the Palmetto-Ruskin area are also affected. Crops there normally start by April 20. We don?t think there will be volume until about May 10 this year, and they look light."
Mr. Esformes agreed that prices were up as high as $20 on extra-large sizes on April 13. He added that prices have been as low as $7 in past years, so there is no "normal? price, and $20 is considered high, just as $7 is considered a low end of the scale.
?The demand from our shortages is now being felt all over the country," he added. "We are even seeing increased demand in Mexico and Canada for product to fill in the void. Mexico?s volumes are not sufficient enough to take care of the demand, and we are now hearing that the Canadian market is up on greenhouse product."
Mr. Esformes added that as he spoke with The Produce News on April 13, the weather was again unstable in Florida.
Jim DiMenna is the president of both J-D Marketing and Jem-D International in Leamington, ON. The companies market and distribute a full line of greenhouse vegetables produced by Ontario growers, and greenhouse-grown tomatoes are one of the primary categories grown in the area.
?Production is at normal levels in Canada," said Mr. DiMenna. "But we are feeling the extra demand for product due to what is currently happening in Florida and Mexico. Shortages in both countries have resulted in an active market for Canada?s greenhouse growers. It's good for business because the demand for our product is higher than normal, which drives prices higher."
Mr. DiMenna said that it is nearly impossible to put exact figures or percentages on increase amounts because they change from day to day and even moment to moment during an active spot market. He said that regular customers are serviced first, but those who do not normally source greenhouse product are creating the current spot market.
?It is also important for those involved in greenhouse supplies to stay tuned into how things change in Florida in the coming weeks," Mr. DiMenna continued. "Producers here will likely try to fill the void wherever they can, and they will have the advantage of a high spot market, but they won?t start gearing up for long-term movement. We fully expect Florida to recover as the weather improves, likely within the next few weeks. As soon as production is back to normal in the state, demand and prices on greenhouse product will coincide by dropping."
Mr. DiMenna said that the current situation is similar to what Ontario?s growers experienced following the hurricanes last fall. Damage to Florida tomato crops was such that the demand for greenhouse product to fill in the void was strong. But as soon as production went back to normal and Florida growers got back into the swing, demand for greenhouse product also dropped.
?It is a beneficial situation for Canadian growers, even if it is for the short term," Mr. DiMenna added. "It gives them a bit of a needed edge on their overhead. That is especially needed at this time in history, when all expenses are high. We need good active markets just like other types of growers in all areas of the continent do, and this gives them a little window in which to flourish."
Mr. Brown added that some disease problems have also been seen on Florida?s crops this season, likely carried over from last fall.
?Tomato yellow leaf curl virus causes affected plants to produce either no fruit or reduced numbers of small fruit," said Mr. Brown. "In short, it prevents a plant from producing a yield. It is believed that it can be carried over from one season to another unless it is destroyed by a freeze. It's possible that the current infestation is carried over from last fall?s crops and we simply didn?t have cold-enough weather to kill it off completely during the winter."
