Growers expect full crop of white-flesh product with improved fruit size
Growers expect full crop of white-flesh product with improved fruit size
Once grown primarily for export, white-flesh California peaches and nectarines have found a solid niche in the domestic market. They now represent roughly 25 percent of the state's peach and nectarine volume, and while they are still in demand in the Asian markets, growers say that majority of the white-flesh crop is now sold in the United States. That number is expected to grow as more and more consumers discover the white-flesh varieties, which are generally characterized not only by their snowy-white interior color but by high sugar levels and low acid levels.
Industry crop estimates call for a full crop of white-flesh fruit in both the peach and nectarine categories this year. Growers say that the crop is expected to be similar in volume to last year but distinguished by generally larger fruit size and excellent quality due to exceptionally good growing weather so far. Adequate winter chill hours, good weather during bloom and set, and a generally cool to moderate growing season up until mid May have all been favorable for a good crop of nice-sized fruit with good color and high sugars, according to growers.
"This is a better year than I have ever seen for size on the front end," said Steve Rusca, a salesman for Scattaglia Growers & Shippers LLC in Traver, CA, on May 12. The eating quality on the early fruit has also been exceptional. "The first white peaches had a much higher sugar than I thought they would have ... exceptionally high," he said.
"The eating quality of the first white-flesh peaches tasted like we were in mid-season," added Dave Parker, who heads SGS' marketing programs. Starting the season off with such good flavor "ought to make the commodity move a little better," Mr. Rusca added.
"It looks pretty good right now," said Blair Richardson, chief executive officer of FreshSense in Parlier, CA, on May 15. "We are certainly really excited about the fact that we have had good weather and good growing conditions so far this year. It looks like we are going to have plenty of fruit for all of our programs," including the white-flesh programs, "and it should be a good season."
Family Tree Farms in Reedley, CA, had started harvesting its second white peach variety of the year, the Spring Snow, when The Produce News talked to Marketing Director Don Goforth May 14. "We are in it right now, and it is gorgeous this year," he said. The first variety, Snow Angel, was also very good and "met with great success."
"The weather has been extremely favorable for our April Snows," said John Hein, director of marketing for Trinity Fruit Sales Co. in Fresno, CA, on May 9. The moderate growing weather, combined with the use of reflective foils on the orchard floors to reflect sunlight up into the trees, "has really brought on some tremendous color," and "we have a nice run of sizes," he said.
"We had the right chill hours, we had a nice winter and spring, perfect growing conditions, so the fruit should eat well," said Steve Poindexter, a managing partner with Crown Jewels Marketing & Distribution in Fresno. The industry has "a big crop this year," he said, "and we have spent a lot of time and marketing effort" letting retailers know that "is going to be substantial."
As to the timing of the harvest, the early varieties started out about eight days later than last year. But "we seem to be catching up as we go," said Bob Maxwell, a salesman at Kingsburg Orchards in Kingsburg, CA. Although the early spring had been moderately cool, temperatures were beginning to warm up toward mid-May and it did not appear that the rest of the varieties would be late after all. "I think we will have caught up by this weekend," he said.
The Peach Commodity Committee has estimated Summerwhite (white-flesh) peach crop of 5,710,000 packages for 2008, almost identical to last year's shipments of 5,667,000 packages and constituting 24 percent of the total California fresh peach crop.
The Nectarine Administrative Committee has estimated a 2008 crop of 5,079,000 packages of Summerwhite nectarines, down just slightly from last year's shipments of 5,399,000 packages and constituting 24 percent of the total California fresh nectarine crop.
(For more on the Summerwhite deal, see the May 26 issue of The Produce News.)
Industry crop estimates call for a full crop of white-flesh fruit in both the peach and nectarine categories this year. Growers say that the crop is expected to be similar in volume to last year but distinguished by generally larger fruit size and excellent quality due to exceptionally good growing weather so far. Adequate winter chill hours, good weather during bloom and set, and a generally cool to moderate growing season up until mid May have all been favorable for a good crop of nice-sized fruit with good color and high sugars, according to growers.
"This is a better year than I have ever seen for size on the front end," said Steve Rusca, a salesman for Scattaglia Growers & Shippers LLC in Traver, CA, on May 12. The eating quality on the early fruit has also been exceptional. "The first white peaches had a much higher sugar than I thought they would have ... exceptionally high," he said.
"The eating quality of the first white-flesh peaches tasted like we were in mid-season," added Dave Parker, who heads SGS' marketing programs. Starting the season off with such good flavor "ought to make the commodity move a little better," Mr. Rusca added.
"It looks pretty good right now," said Blair Richardson, chief executive officer of FreshSense in Parlier, CA, on May 15. "We are certainly really excited about the fact that we have had good weather and good growing conditions so far this year. It looks like we are going to have plenty of fruit for all of our programs," including the white-flesh programs, "and it should be a good season."
Family Tree Farms in Reedley, CA, had started harvesting its second white peach variety of the year, the Spring Snow, when The Produce News talked to Marketing Director Don Goforth May 14. "We are in it right now, and it is gorgeous this year," he said. The first variety, Snow Angel, was also very good and "met with great success."
"The weather has been extremely favorable for our April Snows," said John Hein, director of marketing for Trinity Fruit Sales Co. in Fresno, CA, on May 9. The moderate growing weather, combined with the use of reflective foils on the orchard floors to reflect sunlight up into the trees, "has really brought on some tremendous color," and "we have a nice run of sizes," he said.
"We had the right chill hours, we had a nice winter and spring, perfect growing conditions, so the fruit should eat well," said Steve Poindexter, a managing partner with Crown Jewels Marketing & Distribution in Fresno. The industry has "a big crop this year," he said, "and we have spent a lot of time and marketing effort" letting retailers know that "is going to be substantial."
As to the timing of the harvest, the early varieties started out about eight days later than last year. But "we seem to be catching up as we go," said Bob Maxwell, a salesman at Kingsburg Orchards in Kingsburg, CA. Although the early spring had been moderately cool, temperatures were beginning to warm up toward mid-May and it did not appear that the rest of the varieties would be late after all. "I think we will have caught up by this weekend," he said.
The Peach Commodity Committee has estimated Summerwhite (white-flesh) peach crop of 5,710,000 packages for 2008, almost identical to last year's shipments of 5,667,000 packages and constituting 24 percent of the total California fresh peach crop.
The Nectarine Administrative Committee has estimated a 2008 crop of 5,079,000 packages of Summerwhite nectarines, down just slightly from last year's shipments of 5,399,000 packages and constituting 24 percent of the total California fresh nectarine crop.
(For more on the Summerwhite deal, see the May 26 issue of The Produce News.)
