Georgia ag commissioner sets Vidalia shipping date

Georgia’s Agriculture Commissioner has set the official pack date for this year’s Vidalia onion harvest.

“In coordination with the Vidalia Onion Committee, I am incredibly excited to announce April 17 as the official pack date of the 2024 Vidalia onion season,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper said in a news release. “Georgia Grown, Vidalia onions are recognized around the globe for their iconic, sweet flavor that is treasured by culinary leaders and home chefs alike. This is an exciting time for Georgia farmers and consumers alike as we look forward to enjoying the sweet onion again.”

The pack date is determined by soil and weather conditions during the growing season, contributing to high-quality Vidalia onions. The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel voted to recommend April 17th as the 2024 pack date to Commissioner Harper, according to the release.

For the 2024 season, growers planted 11,000 acres of Vidalia onions in the production region, Cliff Riner, Vidalia Onion Committee chairman and vice president of ag production and grower relations for G&R Farms, Glennville, Georgia, said in the release.

“Over the past few years, sweet onion sales have continued to increase, with Vidalia onions being a big part of the market,” Riner said in the release. “We’re looking forward to another great season this year.”

Vidalia onions are available for a limited time each year between April through early September. As America’s favorite sweet onion, many look forward to this time of year, according to the release.

Because of the unique weather, water, and soil combination in 20 South Georgia counties, Vidalia onions cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world, according to the release. Known for their sweet, crisp flavor and versatility, Vidalia onions are a seasonal treat for various dishes, from savory to sweet.

For more than 80 years, Vidalia onions have been hand-planted, harvested, and cured by growers. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 established their growing region in south Georgia and trademarked the “Vidalia onion” name. Vidalia onions are grown from a distinctive Granex seed, then packed and sold on or after the official pack date annually.

Because Vidalia onions are sweetly unique, growers united to seek legal protection for their crop and its name. Federal Marketing Order No. 955 was established in 1989 to stipulate where the crop can be grown and help with research and promotion. The Vidalia Onion Committee administers the marketing order and authorizes production research, marketing research and development and marketing promotion programs.