‘High quality’ describes 2012, Champion’s Wong says
‘High quality’ describes 2012, Champion’s Wong says
Reflecting on a late start for the Treasure Valley’s onion season in both 2010 and 2011, John Wong, president of Champion Produce Sales in Parma, ID, said this year’s harvest and shipping are “on schedule for a normal year.”
John and Nancy Wong of Champion Produce Sales in Parma, ID.Product from Champion Produce and its sister onion producers, Giant Produce and Tamura Farms, is sold through Champion Produce Sales. Mr. Wong said onions from both Champion and Giant Produce started on Aug. 20, and Tamura Farms was slated to start on Sept. 4.
Mr. Wong said yields have been affected somewhat by the summer’s extreme heat that came after a cool, wet spring.
“But overall it looks like a high-quality crop,” he said.
“Size is a little smaller now, but we still have a good supply of jumbos. The fields that are sparse will have larger onions, but of course there are fewer onions in the field,” he added.
Champion Produce Sales is staffed by Mr. Wong and Vice President Dwayne Fisher as well as Cheryl Leavitt, Ross Sevy and Jennifer Uranga. Mr. Sevy also handles transportation, and Brad Dines heads up the food-safety program. Staff support is provided by De De Fogg, Nancy Wong and Amber Brinkerhoff.
The majority of onions produced by the operation are yellow Spanish Sweets, with about 10 percent reds and a small volume of whites, Mr. Wong said.
“Our movement of the different onions stays stable,” he said, adding that most of the onions go to foodservice.
At the onset of the season, shipments were going all by truck. Rail loads will begin in late September when the onions are fully cured, Mr. Wong said.
Last year’s rail was increased to offset the lack of trucks during certain periods of the shipping season, and Mr. Wong said that while the biggest volume continues to be trucked to receivers, approximately 20 percent is now going on the rail lines.
Champion Produce Sales onions are all inspected by Certified Onions Inc. for pathogens and chemical residue, and each of the packing facilities is third-party inspected as well.
“We continue to strive for a better quality and more efficiency with a greener footprint,” Mr. Wong said.
