Green Tree moving steady onion volume into pipeline
Green Tree moving steady onion volume into pipeline
Green Tree International, which has offices in Wenatchee, WA, is already moving onions into the pipeline. “We’re harvesting over-winters right now,” Sales Associate Shea Nanto told The Produce News.
The onion broker-distributor has been supplying its customers with quality product for more than four years. Green Tree has co-packing agreements in place and sources red, yellow and white onions from Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Product from the Pacific Northwest is moved eight to nine months of out the year. The company’s storage onion season typically ends in March or April. In addition to storage onions, Green Tree offers its customers a variety of sweet onions, including Walla Walla Sweet Onions and Hermiston Sweets. “We are seasonal on sweets,” he added.
Earlier in the year, weather was cool. Mr. Nanto was asked how the crop is faring in 2012. “Everyone was complaining, ‘Where’s the summer?’ It’s here with a vengeance,” he laughed. As is true elsewhere in the United States, Mother Nature dialed up the temperature volume. “But we roll with the punches,” he continued. So far, he said, the crop is in good shape and wasn’t showing signs of heat stress. “It just depends on how long the heat stays,” he added.
Green Tree works with approximately 12 growers, and network acreage and volume in 2012 are expected to be similar to last season. Harvesting typically continues into October.
Onions are marketed under the “Green Tree” label, and the company also distributes product under labels already in place for its growers. According to Mr. Santo, demand for onions continues to increase, and customers are increasingly interested in seeing onions packed at the grower level.
Onions are sold to all market sectors. In addition to its domestic customers, Green Tree exports approximately 30 percent of its volume. Export sales are handled to ensure the best possible return to growers.
