Calif. Dominates Southeast, Mid-Atlantic Peach Market
(Continued from Page A 1)
Association of Pennsylvania. The
association held its meeting con
current with the Pennsylvania
Vegetable Conference and Trade
Show.
Where South Carolina used to
ship 100 loads of peaches to
national markets in a day, last year
there weren’t 200 loads in any
given week, noted Walker. Based
on USDA statistics. California
shipped 68 percent of the total
fresh market peaches in 1997 com
pared to only 10 percent for South
Carolina, nine percent from Geor
gia, five percent from New Jersey,
and eight percent from other states
California’s peak shipping week
ended July 19 when it shipped
1,023 loads. From June 14 to Aug.
9, California shipped more than
700 loads each week. During the
period, California growers shipped
7,915 loads.
To compare, the “Appalachian
Area,” designated by USDA as
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
and West Virginia, shipped 118
loads the week ending Sept 6.
Walker spoke about the overall
health of the southeastern peach
industry.
“It’s not healthy,” he said.
“Where it’s going will depend on
the weather.”
For the past several years, grow
ers have been hit hard by late frosts
cutting into the yield and quality of
peaches.
Although there were some frost
induced failures in 1997, growers
still harvested a modest crop.
In 1983, South Carolina was hit
by a frost and only harvested about
95 million pounds. The past sea
son, producers harvested about
160 million pounds on 16,000
acres.
The number of acres has
dropped significantly in a decade,
from 40,000 acres in the mid
1980 s. And the packing houses
have gone out of business 21 in
the last IS yean. Today Georgia
has eight packing houses and 11
remain in South Carolina.
Stares are demanding product
for consumers that has more con
sistent color, measures a consistent
214 inches in size, has good overall
shape, with fruit that is cold hardy,
has good flavor, contains no bac
terial spotting, is more round, con
tains a small suture, and other
factors.
For South Carolina, April can
have some treacherous growing
nights, when freezes can repeat a
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Peach Industry One Horticulture Con
Dr. Joseph Goffreda, asso
ciate professor and director
of Rutgers Fruit Research
and Extension Center at
Cream Ridge. N.J., spoke
about the history of white
peach varieties and how they
are being grown and sold
today.
few times in a row, damaging
crops.
Because of chilling, one grower
told Walker that the “first of sea
son” fruit market is no longer
there. Now, the normal five- to six
week window stretches to 6-8
weeks and beyond. And growers
aren’t getting $lB-$25 for the first
box of fruit like they used to.
Walker noted. There is no differ
ence anymore between the first
and last box.
More and more retailers are
demanding that fruit be supplied in
25-pound boxes (38-pounds for
the undersize or culled material).
The 25-pound boxes are consid
ered half a bushel.
Retailers are pushing hard for
price look-up (PLU) stickers,
which make some producers
cringe because of the increased
labor in applying the stickers.
The National Peach Council
(NPC) works hard for the industry
to lobby for issues important to
growers. In 1997, NPC, accom
panied by peach growers from six
different states, made three trips to
Washington to lobby officials.
Issues debated were purchases of
fresh frozen freestone peaches,
changes in crop insurance for pro
ducers, peach research funding,
methyl bromide and the Clean Air
Act, Guest Worker Program, Mex
ican quarantine of U.S. peaches,
and Legal Services Corporation.
“We’re developing a little bit of
traction and impact in Washing
ton,” Walker said.
The council numbers 426 and is
seeking 1,000 members by 2002.
However, it needs members Cram
Mid-Atlantic states to continue
programs vital to the industry. To
become a member, contact NPC at
12 Nicklaus Lane, Suite 101, Col
umbia, SC 29229, (803)788-7101.
Peach Panel
At a producer panel later that
day at the state horticulture meet
ing, noted growers reflected some
of the frustration felt by the impact
of California peaches on markets
in the East
John Lott, president of Bear
Mountain Orchards in Aspers,
grows more than 600 acres of fruit
in Adams County. He mentioned
how aware growers an of die "20
million boxes of fruit” marketed
by California growers.
“California will continue to
exhibit a constant presence,” said
Lott.
However, Lott noted that it
shouldn’t be so.
“We’re an overnight drive to 60
million people,” he said.
Growers in the East, including
the Mid-Atlantic states, have the
population density—and the con
sumers —necessary to buy quality
peaches.
Lott noted that a large market
for his business includes specialty
stores. Many want a “tree-ripened,
fuzzy peach,” he said, with that
“homegrown, farm look.” He uses
'A bushel wooden crates and
38-pound containers for undersize
peaches.
Retailers want that big, 100 per
cent red peach, he noted. Custom
ers don’t want poor interior condi
tion for the peaches and off
flavors.
The business, Lott said, markets
peaches for 25 different local
growers. Fruit is placed into
14 bushel crates and coded quickly
and properly stored.
Lott noted that the correct temp
eratures to keep peaches are
Dr. Norm Lalancette, Rut
gers Cooperative Extension
fruit pathology specialist,
noted that unlike brown rot,
fire blight and phytopthora
can kill entire trees.
between 31-32 degrees, not 45
degrees. “Forty-five degrees is the
death of the peach,” he said, caus
ing browning and shriveling. If
ripening is needed, the tempera
ture should be 70 degrees. “It’s
important to maintain a cool chain
throughout the distribution,” said
At a producer panel later that day at the state horticulture meeting, noted growers
and agri-industry representatives reflected on some of the lessons they learned to
grow a good peach. From left, panel moderator Jerry Frecon, ag agent with Rutgers
Cooperative Extension In Gloucester County; Doug zee, president of Zee Orchards In
Qlassboro, NJ.; Jack Bream, Ortanna; John Lott, president of Bear Mountain
Orchards In Aspers; and BUI Heritage, general manager of Eastern Propak In Glass
boro, NJ.
rence To;
At the panel, one grower noted
the importance of looking for alter
native packing methods because
cardboard absorbs moisture and
leaves a shriveled, dry peach.
Plastic-coated cardboard boxes
used to work well but can’t be
recycled.
For the peach itself, consumers
prefer flavor and cream coloring,
which they often consider more
important than size.
Another grower. Jack Bream,
Ortanna, maintains 500 acres of
apples and about 150 acres of
peaches and nectarines.
Bream said, “I have a rule. Nev
er ship a warm peach.”
Bream indicated that he packs
peaches measuring 214 inches and
greater and the “ups” in 25-pound
boxes, to get premium prices for
the boxes. The culls and smaller
are packed in 38-pound boxes.
A key to success for growers
would be getting the commitment
from the buyers early enough in
the season before the season starts.
Getting growers “together to plan
for this will firm up the local mark
et,” said Bream.
Buyers want a large, firm, red
peach. It’s important to “research
new varieties to pick a winner,” he
said.
Another grower on the panel
was Doug Zee, president of Zee
Orchards in Glassboro, NJ. About
two-thirds of his crop is packed in
25-pound and another one-third in
38-pound containers.
Zee noted that growers should
consider the right materials and
have “adequate packing supplies,”
he said.
It’s important for growers to
maximize profits. “You’re not
there to feed the world for free,” he
said.
Like Bream, Zee noted that it’s
important to cool the peaches
down quickly, so he makes use of
plastic bins, which cod faster than
wood.
By improving thinning
methods, despite last year’s
drought, die orchard was able to
obtain fruit sizes of 214 inches and
larger.
Zee noted he was concerned
about growers who pick too early,
providing peaches to consumers
that lode like “limes.” Many of
those customers will simply walk
away and never buy a peach again.
According to Charles
Walker, managing director of
the National Peach Council,
Columbia, S.C., California will
ship about 750*770 million
pounds of peaches this sea
son, nearly double ths
amount of a decade ago.
Peaches will be hauled to
store shelves In the South
east and Mid-Atlantic, when
traditionally seasonal crops
in the heart of summer from
local growers dominats
displays.
Bill Heritage, general manager
of Eastern Propak in Glassboro,
NJ., spoke about the company’s
100,000 square foot warehouse,
providing two cold storage facili
ties. In season, the company pack
ages nectarine and peaches for
about 10 members in south Jersey.
In the winter, they package
imported fruits for markets.
Moderator for the panel was Jer
ry Frecon, ag agent with Rutgers
Cooperative Extension in
Gloucester County.
Marketing Crucial
For many growers, the man
aging director of the National
Peach Council noted that market
ing is essential
“I like big ads, big displays, and
hot (low retail) prices,” said Char
les Walker, who also spoke Wed
nesday afternoon at die horticul
ture meeting.
“If I can have all three of these,
it’s ideal” he said. “If not three,
then two out of three.”
By promoting peaches in huge
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