Growers of greenhouse heirloom tomatoes are now expecting good volume and quality from the new season crop. Earlier this year, snow and cold weather in the growing regions in Mexico resulted in losses. With milder weather and spring on the way, growers are now seeing favorable conditions.
"Our newly planted heirloom tomato crops are coming along very well thanks to the milder weather," said Janell Dykstra of Terra Bella Farms. "Our Heirlooms are grown in central Mexico, giving us the upper hand to be able to keep up with demand all year long. Heavier volume does occur during the summer months and Terra Bella are one of the first growers to come in heavy."
"Early this year, we had to pull an entire crop because of the snow and freezing temperatures which damaged the crop," she continued. "Such extreme weather is very unusual for this part of Mexico and we erred on the side of caution as we always want to provide the optimum quality. We now have good supply coming on in the next few weeks, and the crop is coloring up well."
Mixed colors the most popular
Heirloom tomatoes come in many different colors and sizes. Dykstra said by far the majority of customers request mixed color packs, but there are some that prefer to order in single colors. "Terra Bella supply many of the colored heirloom tomato varieties, including yellow, orange, red, purple, brown and green," she said. "95% of retailers request mixed color packs, but there are some that just want red, or purple, for example."
"Heirlooms are sweeter than other tomatoes," she added. "They are diverse in size, shape, texture, and flavor. The redder the heirloom the sweeter it is. Darker colored tomatoes are a mixture of sweet and tart such as the Purple Cherokee variety, which is my favorite. Terra Bella also offer a range of sizing in M, L, and XL. Different customers request different sizing, and we also offer the tomatoes in tray packs, and bulk."
Demand has been steady for greenhouse heirloom tomatoes, with the warmer months seeing an increase in demand, along with a general increase in supply as more growers enter the market. "Demand for heirloom tomatoes is usually dependent on the extent to which other producers enter the market," Dykstra explained. "As Terra Bella grows in a greenhouse environment and are one of the first with heavy volume, we have a fantastic early window as warmer weather brings on an increase in demand."
For more information:
Janell Dykstra
Terra Bella Farms
Tel: +1 (661) 858-2585