Overlapping Growth Stages and Market Dynamics Shape the Cabbage Season
The cabbage harvest season in New York has kicked off slightly earlier this year, presenting a mix of challenges and opportunities for growers. Eric Hansen of Hansen Farms LLC provides insights into the current harvest, market conditions, and the factors influencing this year’s production cycle.
“Judging by the calls we’re getting and the market conditions, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of supply,” says Eric Hansen. Despite this tight supply, Hansen notes that the harvest is progressing well due to favorable growing conditions. “We’ve had good growing conditions that have helped,” he adds. This early harvest overlaps with other critical stages of the cabbage production cycle, including trimming the old crop from storage and planting the late fall crop.
However, the planting for the late fall crop has encountered a slight delay. “We’re a little behind on plantings by about a week,” Hansen mentions. This delay is manageable but adds an extra layer of complexity to the farming operations.
The demand for cabbage remains robust, experiencing the usual post-July 4th uptick. “It’s hot across the country and traditionally that would affect demand, but it seems to be decent right now,” Hansen observes. The limited supply in other regions has also driven more buyers to Hansen Farms. “There are also not a lot of regions going right now, and people are coming to me who may not always come to me, and that’s because supply is low.”
Despite a general softening in demand over the past few years, attributed to economic factors, current market dynamics have led to stronger cabbage pricing. Hansen notes that cabbage is currently priced at $13 per carton, $11-$12 per bag, and bulk prices range between 18-20 cents per pound.
Looking forward, other regions such as Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, and Canada are expected to begin their local cabbage production in the coming weeks. However, the regional windows for cabbage availability are shifting. “In the past five to seven years, the windows where you’ve got short supply, they’re just not the same anymore,” Hansen explains. Weather events and the decreasing number of cabbage-growing areas are amplifying the impact of any fluctuations in supply.
For more information:
Eric Hansen
Hansen Farms
Tel: +1 585-526-5260
eehansen7@gmail.com
http://hansenfarms.com
