The South Carolina Department of Agriculture and representatives from the SC Peach Council, SC Watermelon Association, and the SC Fruit and Vegetable Association look forward to the annual South Carolina event with the Eastern produce Council. April 22, 2014, is South Carolina Night and we hope you will join us for an exciting evening at the Brownstone in Paterson, New Jersey.

South Carolina experienced a very cold winter this year. This is excellent for the tree fruit industry and we are very excited heading into the peak bloom season. Growers are very optimistic as this was one of the best winters in recent years for chill unit accumulation which is vital in producing fruit of exceptional quality. Once bloom is complete, growers will focus on thinning the crop for optimum size and quality. Shipments should begin in mid to late May and continue through the summer months.

Rainfall has also been steady throughout the winter. This has allowed ponds, rivers, and the water table to re-charge which should have us in good shape to manage irrigation needs during the production season. Some areas that traditionally plant the earliest vegetables have experienced slight delays as the weather continues to warm up but we should catch up as we move into major planting periods. Planting of vegetables statewide will continue for many weeks and we expect an excellent harvest during our key production windows. Our product mix continues to expand and we are excited about the future in our state.

Watermelon and cantaloupe planting is underway and will pick up steadily over the next month. We expect excellent quality and volume this summer.

We look forward to seeing you on April 22. We plan to bring you up to date on the status of all major fruit and vegetable crops in South Carolina and the overall summer outlook. We will also discuss promotion and merchandising opportunities and we look forward to a great evening!