Also this month:
* NC A&T Cooperative
Extension to Honor Small-Scale Agriculture
* Hard Work and Faith
Drive Past Small Farmer of the Year
* NC A&T to Host Women
in Agriculture Symposium
* NC A&T School of
Agriculture Honors Pioneers
* Simple Safety on a
Shoestring Budget
Other News Links:
Press Release Archive
Cooperative Extension
Press Releases
Agricultural Research
Press Releases
General Links:
NC A&T School of Agriculture
Agricultural Communications
Mitch Arnold, news editor
|
Greensboro, NC: The El Niño-inspired misfortune
of California vegetable growers might equal grand opportunities for their
North Carolina counterparts, says a Cooperative Extension specialist.
"Because of El Niño's harsh weather, high-quality vegetables
from California might be expensive and in short supply," said Dr.
John M. O'Sullivan, a farm management and marketing specialist with the
North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program.
"For local farmers who are ready to meet that need with quality produce,
the payoffs could be substantial."
O'Sullivan points to North Carolina vegetables such as open leaf and red
leaf lettuce, which are often market runners-up to California lettuce,
as examples of produce which could yield higher than normal profits for
savvy local growers.
"In a normal year, California produces about 90 percent of the head
lettuce in the United States," said O'Sullivan. "In a year like
this, with all of the weather problems, California growers aren't going
to produce as much, and what they do produce will be more expensive. All
of this leaves a market window open for North Carolina growers."
In addition to lettuce, O'Sullivan predicts market opportunities and higher
prices for such crops as peppers, tomatoes, squash, eggplant and zucchini.
Higher prices usually come with higher expectations, says O'Sullivan, who
recommends that growers take the proper steps to ensure that the quality
of their produce matches or exceeds that of California produce.
To enhance produce quality, O'Sullivan suggests that farmers:
- start with quality seed
- use raised beds or other means of maintaining soil warmth and drainage
- be prepared to irrigate
- harvest the produce when it is freshest
- carefully cool and wash the produce
O'Sullivan also offers the following marketing tips for farmers who
plan to retail their own produce:
- set a price which is reasonable for the quality of the produce.
- display produce in baskets or in other arrangements which attract the
customer's eye.
- make sure that the only product the customer gets is clean and fresh.
"The trend in America today is healthy eating, and vegetables are
a large part of that diet for most people," said O'Sullivan. "At
a economic level, this typically translates into higher demand than supply,
and thus increased profit margins. Smart farmers are smart business people,
and they capitalize on opportunities such as this."
For more information on vegetable production and marketing, contact your
local Cooperative Extension office.
- 30 -
|