Oct 16, 2018

California pumpkin supply strong for Halloween buildup

In the final weeks before Halloween, ample supplies of California pumpkins remain to continue the promotion of carving-type orange Jack O’ Lanterns.

“We have experienced very moderate temperatures (high 70s to low 80s) this fall which has allowed for normal production of pumpkins in California,” said Ryan Van Groningen, President of Van Groningen & Sons in Manteca, California. “With the exception of October 3 when we received 2-3 inches of rain in a 45-minute span, our fall has been dry, which is quite normal for us.”

With two big-selling weekends to go before the holiday, there are still an abundant amount of pumpkins to be shipped and sold.

“As a grower, estimating how many pumpkins are left to be harvested in the field is an extremely important role to make sure you cover all of your customers’ needs while not leaving pumpkins in the field that will go unsold after Halloween,” said Van Groningen.

One additional benefit of experiencing a bountiful crop is being able to donate to additional schools, churches and other non-profit organizations.

“The amount of donation requests we receive each season is staggering so it feels great that we have been able to donate to nearly every worthy cause this season,” said Van Groningen. “This pumpkin season has been a lot of fun because of our volume so no one will be left without a pumpkin!”

Van Groningen & Sons will be at PMA show in Orlando, Florida, October 19-20.

Photos: Van Gronigan & Sons