As Oxnard, Calif.-based Bobalu Berry Farms heads into the 2024 strawberry season, its partners are reviewing how the crop looks today compared with the unsettled beginning at the same time last year.
January has been much more forgiving in 2024 with the volume coming out of Oxnard, currently double of what it was at this time in 2023, according to a news release. The plants are healthy, staying somewhat dry and providing excellent fruit even though it is still winter, the company said.
“While this is all very good news for our strawberries, the challenge we are facing now is the inclement weather in our receiving markets,” Anthony Gallino, vice president of sales for Bobalu Berry Farms, said in the release. “When you can’t get trucks to the East Coast due to blizzard conditions and flooding rain, that affects all of us.”
The Oxnard region has received its share of rain already, but with dry days in-between and nice breezes, the plants are thriving, the company reported, adding that the Santa Maria, Calif., area is showing signs that spring will begin soon.
Consumers throughout the country typically begin buying fresh strawberries from California this time of year. However, demand takes a hit when they can’t get to the store due to weather conditions, so the Bobalu team is working to keep the pipeline full and is diverting some fruit to markets that are not impacted by weather at this time, according to the release.
“The fruit from our ranches here in Oxnard and from our partner fields in Mexico is excellent right now and we are ramping up for the Valentine’s Day demand,” Gallino said.
The company expects to have promotable volume to supply their partners with high quality fruit and stems for the upcoming holiday.
Once Bobalu Berry Farms gets into February, the sales team will be focused on promoting the spring crop from Oxnard, Mexico and Santa Maria in preparation for an early Easter this year, the release said.
