California tomato deal characterized as 'fantastic, outstanding'
OCEANSIDE, Calif. - The summer tomato season is a positive one so far.
West Coast Tomato Growers, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, expects to pick 1.7 million cases of round vine-ripe tomatoes this season and 800,000 cases of romas from 700 acres, said James Galindo, on-site sales representative for The Oppenheimer Group, the Vancouver, British Columbia-based firm that markets the tomatoes.
Volume of its pole-grown round tomatoes is up slightly from last year, and roma volume will be about the same as last year.
Quality on both varieties has been "fantastic," he said, and growing weather has been "outstanding."
Nationwide, Galindo said tomato supplies have been consistent this summer, and prices have been decent, with no major dips or spikes going into September.
On Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported f.o.b. prices of mostly $12-13.95 for two-layer cartons of vine-ripe tomatoes from Michigan; $14.95 for two-layer cartons of various sizes of vine-ripes from Mexico through Otay Mesa, Calif.; and $9.95-10.95 for 25-pound cartons of mature-greens from central California.
West Coast Tomato Growers, which owns the Oceanside Pole and Cal-Tom brands, started picking in June and will continue until November, Galindo said.
Peak volume should be from late August into September.
U.S. homegrown tomato deals should start winding down in September, and supplies from Mexico will start to pick up as fall progresses, Galindo said.
