Bumper crop

After years of poor yields, Georgia peaches on the rebound

After years of bad harvests, Georgia is set to pick one of its most bountiful peach crops, and it comes at a time when the state is doubling marketing efforts for its namesake fruit.

"There are a good bit of peaches out there," said Frank Funderburk, Georgia Peach Council executive director. "And that's good news since we've been putting a lot of effort into Georgia peaches with marketing and public relations."

Georgia is known for its sweet and juicy peaches, but it may surprise some folks that the Peach State hasn't been the nation's largest producer for at least 30 years.

California and South Carolina both grow far more peaches than Georgia and have done so since the early '80s, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Now that there is more Georgia crop in the marketplace, Mr. Funderburk hopes the marketing efforts will pay off. The state has been pushing for consumers to ask for Georgia peaches at grocery stores and restaurants.

If Georgia peaches are available, many consumers prefer them.

"When we have peaches from Florida and other states, the Georgia peach sells a lot better," said Meg McGauley, who works in the produce department at Greenlife Grocery. "I'm not sure if that's because people see it as being local."

PEACH PRODUCTIONGeorgia hasn't ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in peach production since the early 1980s. From 2004 to 2008, California grew 10 times as many peaches as Georgia. These are averages from 2004 to 2008.* California: 796 million pounds* South Carolina: 111 million pounds* Georgia: 86 million pounds* New Jersey: 66 million pounds* Michigan: 37 million poundsSource: USDA

Georgia peaches are harvested later than California varieties, while West Coast growers harvest nearly 10 times as many peaches and flood the market early. In Georgia, early peach varieties usually become ripe in late May, and the state's last peaches usually ripen in late July.

To assure the state maintains at least a local presence in the market, the Peach Council is asking restaurants and grocers to sign a Peach Pledge, a promise to buy, sell and serve Georgia peaches when the crop is available.

Because the harvest was just beginning this week, no Georgia peaches are yet available in Chattanooga area stores, but it shouldn't be difficult for consumers to find Georgia-grown peaches. Many growers had to thin their crops just to get through the season.

"We've had to go through a lot of expense and trouble to take fruit off the tree, so they would get big," said Robert Dickey, owner of Dickey Farms in Musella, Ga. "If you leave too many peaches on the tree, they won't get big."

The conditions for peach growing were just right this year, growers say.

"Statewide, we've been in a drought for a few years, so that's really hurt us," said David Lillard, orchard manager for Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, Ga., the closest commercial peach grower in the area. "But this year we have a really favorable crop."

Most of the South had a very cold winter, which is essential for peach trees. A quick warm-up without many freezes also helped, Mr. Funderburk said. On top of that, the state had a good amount of rain at all the right times.

But even if the state manages to pull off a hefty harvest in the coming months, Georgia still won't top South Carolina and it certainly won't come close to California's production numbers, they said.

"There hasn't been much interest in planting new peach orchards over the last few years," Mr. Funderburk said.

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