A slight shift in the growing season of green peppers has pushed prices downward. “At the moment, we are experiencing some really nice weather and so are some of the other growing districts in the nation. As a result, there are a lot of green peppers being harvested right now,” says Richard Cowden of Fresno, CA-based Baloian Farms. “Last year was more of a normal season. This year we’re about two weeks ahead of schedule in some districts and that’s caused us to harvest more product faster than usual.” Cowden notes that the California districts, for example, are finishing early, while the Mexican growing districts are also ahead this year and currently in full production.
A change in volume
That in turn has influenced the impression of volume. “The perception is there’s more product in the pipeline because of the overlapping growing districts in various parts of the country,” says Cowden. “And so prices are down and are significantly lower than last year because of the overlapping districts and the overall volume.”
The Thanksgiving effect
Going into Thanksgiving and beyond, Cowden anticipates shifting to the red pepper market. “Right now, we’ve got a green pepper market that’s fairly depressed and you’ve got a red pepper market that’s going to be doing fairly well,” he says. “So while, right now, supplies of those peppers are a little bit tighter, over the next two weeks, those supplies will be increasing. It’s a bit of a teeter-totter action between greens and reds in the coming week.”
Also on the horizon is the impending reopening of the U.S. market to imported bell peppers from Spain. “It may be more for colored peppers, a hothouse colored pepper market versus a green pepper market,” he said.
Richard Cowden
Baloian Farms
Tel: +1 559 264 3427