The Georgia corn season is well underway, with the first corn harvested a month and a half ago. The season is relatively long, and growing conditions have been good overall.
"Our season began on May 15 and will not end until November 15," said Garrett Griffin of Green Circles Farm in Bainbridge. "Growing conditions have been good so far. We had a lot of rain early in the season, but it did not affect supply and we are expecting continued strong volumes."
'Depressed' market
Good growing conditions have meant that supply has been abundant from all regions. This has led to a weak market, with much lower pricing than normal and slow movement. However, growers are optimistic that the market will improve in the coming months.
"It's been a very depressed market since the beginning of April," Griffin observed. "We have had an oversupply situation from all growing regions and as a result, we have had unusually low pricing for the entire corn season. Now that Florida has finished up, we are hopeful that the market will turn around and prices will improve."
Demand picking up for July 4 pull
Growers have noted an increase in demand for corn as the Fourth of July Holiday pull takes hold and retailers run promotions. With the abundance of supply, though, prices remain largely the same. "Demand has been excellent in the last six days," Griffin observed. "There has been a big rush for the July 4 Holidays."
Griffin added that there has not been much in the way of new packaging, with the 4ct overwrap still a common packaging option for both growers and retailers. "We offer the corn tray packs in 12x4, as well as 8ct and 12ct," he said. "We also have the standard 48ct in both a wooden crate and white plastic box, as well as RPC."
