The drought conditions and early spring in some parts of the country drove up prices of locally sourced fruits and vegetables, limited availability and hurt produce quality.
At GFF Foods, in Moore, Okla., Produce Manager and co-owner David Dozier wasn’t able to source the usual local tomatoes, squash or peaches due to the hot, dry weather.
“Usually we have Stratford [Okla.] peaches, but this year there were no Stratford peaches at all at any of the grocery stores,” Dozier told SN.
Most of Oklahoma has an “exceptional” or “extreme” drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor website, produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Oklahoma cantaloupe and watermelon crops were also hurt by the drought. Dozier was able to get a supply late in the summer from a local grower who irrigates, but the melon prices have been double what they were two years ago, he said.
Dozier has had to source tomatoes and squash from a warehouse that cost more than produce from nearby farms and also don’t have the draw of “local.”
Customers don’t buy as much of the produce sourced from a warehouse, Dozier said.
“Here anytime you put the word ‘locally grown’ or ‘homegrown’ your sales will probably double compared to what you would if you just buy from the supplier — from the warehouse.”
Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/produce/unusual-weather-disrupts-local-produce-availability#ixzz28ucdZOLJ
Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/produce/unusual-weather-disrupts-local-produce-availability#ixzz28ucad8P5
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