Read more - Vineland Research and Innovation Centre

PAGE 6 –– MARCH 2014
THE GROWER
WORLD CROPS
Major grocers stocking more locally grown okra, eggplant
KAREN DAVIDSON
Okra, long and round eggplant
are no longer fringe vegetables.
Since 2008, consumption has
increased 55 per cent for okra and
27 per cent for eggplant according to Statistics Canada. Demand
is estimated to be much higher if
the right quality of produce could
be delivered.
But there’s lots of risk hiding
in the grass for growers to consider these subtropical crops. After
almost four years of intense
study, those risks are more quantified along the entire value chain,
thanks to the Vineland Research
and Innovation Centre (Vineland).
“The biggest challenge to production is labour at planting and
particularly at harvest,” says Lana
Culley, Vineland’s director of
business development. With the
minimum wage rising to $11 per
hour in Ontario on June 1, some
growers will be hesitant to try
okra which requires harvesting
almost every day at peak season.
That’s despite a forecast of 1600
acres of okra needed to fulfill
demand. And a median price of
$20 per 20 lb. box at the Ontario
Food Terminal. As growers
know, those prices can nosedive
overnight with a glut on the local
market or a freight-load of cheaper okra from Latin America.
Three years of consecutive trials prove that these crops can be
grown in Ontario. In-depth agronomic knowledge -- variety selection, planting instructions, crop
protection controls and harvesting
methods –is now available. Post-
World Crops Update:
2013 Economic Analysis Highlights
Acres Required to Fill Canadian Demand
Source: Vineland Consumer and Grower Surveys, 2013
Estimated based on demand survey data (Vineland, 2013) and grower
reports on yields
,
$7,000.00
$6,000.00
Returns Above Variable Costs per Acre
6059
5118
$4,000.00
3602
3136
$3,000.00
In-Season Pricing Information
Based on 2013 grower survey results:
Okra - $3,479
Eggplant - $3,309
$5,000.00
2734
$2,000.00
2470
2392
2355
1636
1566
1404
1323
$1,000.00
1100
875
743
566
302
Ontario Food
Terminal
Grower
interviews
Long
Eggplant
$15/30lb box
$12/30lb box
Okra
$20/20lb box
$20-60/20lb
box
Round
Eggplant
$30/30lb box
$12/30lb box
$0.00
Source: Vineland Surveys, 2013
Source: University of Kentucky Extension Service, 2013
*NB: Preliminary data only. Data collected by Vineland is based on one year of collection and analysis only, and will
need to be confirmed in subsequent years to ensure validity.*
Revised 07/02/2014
harvest storage and handling are
equally as important as Bernard
Goyette, Vineland’s research scientist, post-harvest science, points
out how these crops are sensitive
to chilling.
Insights into consumers have
also deepened. External appearance is more important for
Variable
V
aariable Mower
M
Mow variable widths in one pass
Vineland’s Ahmed Bilal (L) research associate, crop production and diversification, shows progress of the
Asian eggplant trial plot to the Loblaw team of Shreenivas Shellikeri, Patrick Gilbert and Bikram Gupta.
Cuts frro
om 2.2 to 3.8 metrre
es automa
atically
y.
Other sizes available.
WITHOU
UT Kasco your Job
could
d be Le
Lethal!
Kasco helmet
met rrespirators,
espirators, give you
protection while spr
spraying
raaying and
an handling
herbicides
cides and pestic
pesticides.
K80S T8N Helmet Respir ator
NIOSH Appro ved
Contact
ct us toda
ay:
y
1 (800) 46
461-4299
www.thestgeorgeco.com
.theestgeorgeco.c
.thestgeorgeco.com
Canadians and South Asians
whereas freshness is more important for those of Chinese descent.
But what defines fresh?
“Freshness may mean aroma
or it may mean how crisply the
okra tip breaks off,” explains
Amy Bowen, Vineland’s research
program leader for consumer
insights. “The consumer’s use of
the term ‘fresh’ may be better
explained by other attributes.”
All of these findings are borne
out in Greater Toronto Area grocery stores. Longo’s produce category manager, Bruno Bertucci,
anticipates more growth in world
crops based on in-store growth of
66 per cent between 2011 and
2013. That’s why Longo’s is
committed to carry a certain num-
ber of SKUs in each store, based
on the demographics surrounding
each of their 27 store locations.
From a procurement perspective, he says growers should pay
attention to proper and consistent
seed selection, proper handling,
storage and consistent pack sizes.
All of the bok choy family is popular with okra coming in at fifth
spot for the most popular highvolume commodity for Longo’s
target demographics. Most of the
buying activity is at the Ontario
Food Terminal, because Longo’s
likes to consolidate multiple commodities on a single delivery
truck.
The market for locally produced world crops is there, but
it’s tempered by price. “We want
to support local, but it’s a cost
equation,” says Bertucci.
“Competition is fierce. In the consumer’s eyes, local produce
should cost less because there’s
not the freight of imports.”
At Loblaw stores, vendor
development manager Patrick
Gilbert echoes a similar sentiment. “One of the key things is
picking the right varieties. These
consumers know their homeland
varieties and it’s important to
them. We’ve done numerous trials in our stores, and if it’s not the
right variety, then it won’t work.”
With increasing demand,
Gilbert says there’s a need to educate all consumers about how to
use, prepare and eat these foods.

Download Report