Later start but good quality expected for California tree fruit, melons

Despite record rain, snow and some unusually cold weather this winter, California should have plenty of good-quality tree fruit, melons and other commodities this summer.

However, some items might get off to a later start than usual, and early volume on others may be off a bit.

“We had a lot of rain, but the rain really didn’t do any damage at all,” said Levon Ganajian, vice president of retail relations for Fresno, Calif.-based Trinity Fruit Sales Co. “We think the front end of the program is going to be light, but not very much.”

Early volume of peaches and nectarines will be off because rain prevented bees from pollinating the flowers, Ganajian said.

“Even when the flowers were out, the bees weren’t able to pollinate,” he said.

Ganajian was optimistic about the later part of the season.

“Once we get past the early part of the season in May and into the bulk of the season in June, July and August, we expect full crops and good volume on everything,” he said.

The combination of ample water, plenty of chill hours and little stress on the trees should result in good quality and good sizing.

An early freeze affected the apricot crop, so it will get a later start. Supplies during May will be lighter than usual.

“We’ll have promotable volume in June into the first part of September,” Ganajian said.

California’s melon crop escaped the wrath of the state’s cold, rainy winter, said Garrett Patricio, president of Firebaugh, Calif.-based Westside Produce. Patricio also is chairman of the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board and serves on the California Melon Research Board.

Though the California melon industry has had a reduction in acreage over the past 20 years, things seem to have stabilized during the past five years, he said. Volume has stayed the same, even as some acreage has fallen off.

“We’ve gotten much better with agronomy and farming practices,” he said. “While acres are decreasing, total volumes have managed to stay the same because yields are better.”

He said he expected to see as many cantaloupes, honeydews and mixed melons planted in 2022 as in 2023.

As with other commodities, the season may get a later start than usual for California’s Imperial Valley spring melon deal and the Westside summer program.

“We may not see an early May or a mid-May start,” Patricio said.

A late-May kickoff seemed more likely.

“I anticipate there will be some gaps throughout the spring, summer and fall based on the weather, water and environmental impacts we’ve seen,” he said.

Westside Produce recently joined with Fresno-based Classic Fruit Co. to offer melons year-round.

Fresno-based Crown Jewels Produce will start its melon program in late April, said salesman Stephen Thomason. The company offers cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons as well as grapes, pears and pomegranates. All commodities will start 10-14 days later than usual because of rain and cold weather, he said, but size and quality should be good. Volume should be similar to last year.

Grapes will start middle to late May, pears will get underway the second week of July and pomegranates in September.