Texas, Mexico produce supply increasing seasonally
Beets, cabbage, greens, herbs, parsley, potatoes, radishes and spinach are some of the produce crops Texas produce suppliers will be shipping in December.
Shipments of both Texas produce and Mexican produce will be gaining steam in the weeks ahead, said Dante Galeazzi, CEO and president of Texas International Produce Association.
“Texas citrus is starting; you have Texas herbs picking and Texas cabbage around the corner,” he said.
Onions are in the ground and Mexican imports of tomatoes, berries, tropical fruit, squash, bell peppers and more will be increasing.
Looking ahead, Galeazzi said industry leaders are anxious to see the direction of the Department of Homeland Security in the next administration, and whether they will have a more open border for non-essential travel compared with the Trump administration.
“A lot of the communities down here depend on that sales tax (revenue),” he said.
In addition, industry leaders will be watching whatever happens in the administration in terms of its attitudes and actions toward trade, regulation and engagement with the industry.
“We have seen over the last two year more outreach happening, and we hope that continues regardless of the administration moving forward,” he said, noting the importance of industry communication with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In particular, he said that a lot of Texas growers are using the H-2A program, and preserving that uninterrupted access to workers is essential.
“We are going to continue to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and make sure that the workforce can travel as needed to be able to fill the needs that our American farmers have.”
Crop outlook
Texas green and red cabbage will start in earnest the first of December and Donna-based Grow Farms Texas will have Texas-grown onions for harvest in April and May, said Tommy Wilkins, director of sales.
“We have more Texas cabbage in the ground hope to expand our Texas onion program, he said.
Wilkins said Grow Farms Texas has Italian sweet red onions planted for harvest in late April and May, depending on the weather.
Despite rains in July and some in September, Jeff Brechler, sales representative with Little Bear Produce, Edinburg, Texas, said south Texas vegetable crops were able to be planted in good time.
“We look to have a successful Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s campaign without any interruptions in our supply,” he said.
Little Bear Produce has leafy green, herbs and cabbage beginning in November.
The effect of COVID-19 on acreage is variable, he said.
“Growers, packers and shippers are put between a rock and a hard spot,” Brechler said.
“If we do plant our normal acreage and business is off, then we’re stuck with having an extra product, and if we make an adjustment, and there (is) business as usual, then we’re going to be short,” he said.
“We’re either going to upset the grower or farm manager or we’re gonna upset a retail or wholesale customer.”
Retail business has been up and foodservice demand is off, of course, but in general Brechler said Little Bear Produce expects a comparable year to a year ago.
“We do not have any direct foodservice business; I know we do some indirectly through our wholesalers throughout the U.S.” he said.
While wholesale business has declined some, those operators are entrepreneurial and can adjust quickly to other business, he said. Some wholesalers have tried direct-to-consumer business, while others have take part in the Farmers to Families Food Box program.
“That program has been helpful to a lot of folks,” he said.
When COVID-19 hit last season, Brechler said some of the lower volume vegetables from the shipper were hurt by shifting demand from retailers, who thinned the variety of vegetable items sold in retail stores because of the crush of business.
On the plus side, Little Bear saw demand for consumer bag onions double for a three-month period this spring.
“I don’t know if there was a fear of the unknown or wanting to have a grab and go bag as I’m running in and out of the store,” he said.
“But consumer bags on onions really just exploded for us for about three months, and they are still up this year, compared with last year.”
Now the increase in consumer bag demand year-over-year is about low double digits, he said.
One fruit category that suffered in demand during COVID-19 was honeydew, and watermelon to some degree. Melons are often used in salad bars, and salad bars were limited by COVID-19 precautions.
“We did see a little bit of a drop there, but other than that, the staples continue to remain strong; potatoes, onions, cabbage, beets, your hardware items,” he said.
Mexican outlook
The Rio Grande Valley has seen amazing growth as Mexico infrastructure has allowed Texas as an additional port of entry option to Nogales, Wilkins said.
Closer to the East Coast, central Mexico gives the firm more a year-round option for many items, he said.
“This upcoming season Grow Farms Texas will be ramping up its Mexico winter menu,” he said.
The company will have good supply of cucumbers, bell peppers, jalapeños, serranos, anaheims and poblanos, he said. Cucumbers started the first week of November, Wilkins said, and bell pepper will begin by mid-December. Hot peppers are available year-round from Mexico.
The hot pepper menu has provided big growth, Wilkins said.
“Our focus will continue to be growing our cucumber and bell pepper program,” he said.
“We remain optimistic about the upcoming season primarily because of our quality from our growers, and the belief that increase consumption of fruits and vegetables is good medicine.”
Wilkins said Texas operators will advocate for commonsense free trade and against efforts to impose new seasonal protections for Southeast U.S. growers.
“The American consumer needs Mexico,” he said. “I just hate to see tariffs and things that would add to the cost of healthy fruits and vegetables.”
