Strawberries at (normal) seasonal low with volume increasingStrawberries at (normal) seasonal low with volume increasing

With California’s Watsonville District 2024 strawberry crop finished and Mexico and Florida production just getting underway, organic strawberry supplies are very light with demand exceeding supply. However, total strawberry volume is expected to increase from both Mexico and Florida over the next few weeks with its peak production expected in February. Organic strawberry production is typically at its low point during this time period. 

Tim Youmans, vice president of sales at California Giant Berry Farms, Watsonville, California, surveyed the current strawberry situation. “Volumes for December and January will primarily come from the southern part of California, Florida, and Mexico,” he said. “Florida and Mexico are moving into heavier production as their weather dries out and warms up. The warmer weather in California looks to be pushing the Santa Maria fields into an earlier than normal pattern and may also contribute to the overall supply in this period.”

Florida’s rebound planting paying off

California Giant Farms sources strawberry from all three regions. Youmans noted that Florida growers have rebounded from the three hurricanes that made landfall in that state in late summer/early fall. “While Florida's growers experienced some initial setbacks from the hurricanes, their resilience has shone through with quick action to replant fields and get back on track,” he reported. “Production has been temporally affected by cooler-than-average temperatures but is expected to improve as we move through December.”

Related:Hurricane Milton puts Florida's organic strawberry farms at risk for losses

Youmans did note that Florida is primarily shipping conventional fruit at this time.  “Cal Giant is particularly proud to see the return of 'Fresh from Florida' labeled strawberries,” he said. He added that Mexico’s overall volume has increased since 2023.  

While California is in its low time of the year, Youmans said that California Giant’s Santa Maria program is year-round. “Our first California fruit harvests [for the 2024/25 season] began with our organic fall crop and will be followed closely by the initial harvests of conventional fruit out of Santa Maria,” he said. “Continued, favorable weather in California may advance the planned harvest schedule.”

J.R. Pierce, a salesman for Astin Strawberry Exchange in Plant city, Florida, reported that Florida’s strawberries are on schedule with light supplies. Picking began in mid-November and will start to increase over the next few weeks. “Right now, our numbers compared to last year are very close,” he said. “The price is high because there is a shortage of supply as there usually is at this time of year, with California winding down and Mexico and Florida just getting underway.”

Related:Organic Strawberries Gain Market Share

He added that there will be an uptick in Florida’s volume throughout January with peak volume in February and March. While the hurricanes did damage some already-planted fields, the Astin Strawberry exchange salesman said growers were able to get in those fields and replant so acreage is similar to previous years.

Pierce said demand almost always outpaces supply with organic strawberries from Florida and that is currently the case. Though demand is very strong, he said it is difficult to grow organic strawberries and be profitable because yields are much lower than from an acre of conventional fruit.

Official count reflects changing supply

A look at the USDA’s National Berry Report for the first week of December confirms the shifting supply situation. California growers sent more than 300,000 trays of strawberries to market on Monday, December 2, with that figure falling to less than 200,000 trays by Friday, December 6.

Mexico’s daily volume, on the other hand, increased by about 100,000 trays during the week, ending with 285,000 on Friday, December 6. Florida’s volume also increased significantly from 12,500 trays on Monday to almost 93,000 by the end of the week. As a year-round average, organic strawberry production represents about 10% of the total crop.