While Washington’s organic apple acreage has increased substantially in recent years, the US still relies on the southern hemisphere to complement supplies from March through August. Chile used to play a significant role in organic supplies, but dynamics for the country have changed. “Chile’s organic apple acreage has been reduced in response to Washington doubling their organic production since 2017,” says Chris Ford with Viva Tierra Organic. “It has hurt the Chilean window.” In addition, a strong processing market in South America this season makes it attractive for growers to keep their fruit in the domestic market. “Although we will continue to support a South American import program, this year is the first time we are supplementing Chile’s reduction with organic apples from New Zealand.”
New Zealand program
“New Zealand grows a very high-quality product and commands a premium for it,” Ford said. Viva Tierra’s partner-grower is based in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island and their first year of sending fruit to the US didn’t go without challenges. “Hawke’s Bay was hit by a cyclone in February of this year and our grower’s orchards were in the eye of the cyclone.” Fruit was blown off the trees and there was significant infrastructure damage, having an impact on logistics. “We had to get creative to get containers on the water headed for North America. Instead of trucking the apples from Hawke’s Bay to a nearby port, they had to be trucked all the way to the northern part of the North Island as for a while, that was the only place where large vessels could load. This resulted in increased logistics costs.”
Fruit from New Zealand hits the perfect window in the US as Washington storage crop runs out and South America only offers later varieties. New Zealand enters the market with earlier varieties like Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith. While New Zealand’s harvest is now done, arrivals into the US are currently peaking as the journey into the ports of Los Angeles and Philadelphia takes 28 days. Arrivals will continue to peak through August and product will be available in US stores until the end of September. In the meantime, harvest of Galas has started in Washington, but later varieties won’t be available until October. “While there is an overlap in harvest time of the two hemisphere, there shouldn’t be in varieties,” Ford commented.
Fuji apples on tree and Gala apples in field bin.
California fruit
As for pears, Viva Tierra is wrapping up its import program from Argentina. “We’re into the last summer varieties and getting ready for the new crop California Bartletts that starts at the end of this month.” Due to a cold and wet spring, California’s pear and apple harvests are delayed, but Ford mentioned the fruit set looks good. As a result, California’s and Washington’s Gala crops closely follow each other.
“It is a real benefit to be able to work with high-quality growers from both hemispheres,” commented Ford. “It gives us the flexibility to customize volumes from each single variety, based on the market. This happened to be a perfect year to start a partnership with a grower in New Zealand as volume from South America was down. Our program may look different next year, but this model allows us to be nimble and do what’s best for our customers and partners.”
Granny Smith and Gala.
Viva Tierra will be exhibiting at the Organic Produce Summit in Monterey, CA next week, July 13. Meet the team at booth #916.
For more information:
Chris Ford
Viva Tierra Organic
Tel: 831-917-7321
[email protected]
www.vivatierra.com