Mar 31, 2025

Vidalia onion official pack date scheduled

The anticipated Vidalia onion season is set to begin as the Georgia Agriculture Commissioner and Vidalia Onion Committee officially set April 15 as the 2025 pack date.

This year, the Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel conducted an in-depth review and voted to recommend April 15 as the pack date, which Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper subsequently approved.

Renowned for their sweet, crisp taste, Vidalia onions thrive in a unique growing region spanning 20 counties in South Georgia. The annual pack date is carefully determined based on soil and weather conditions during the growing season, ensuring that only the highest quality onions reach consumers. Each year, Vidalia onions are harvested and packed for sale only after the official pack date, guaranteeing peak freshness, according to a news release from the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC).

The onions’ flavor results from a delicate balance of specific weather patterns and soil conditions found exclusively in the southeast Georgia growing region, creating an optimal environment for their growth, according to the release.

“For the upcoming 2025 season, we have 10,000 acres of Vidalia onions planted in the production region,” VOC chairman Cliff Riner said in the release. “Our farmers are dedicated to sustaining this tradition, and it’s evident that consumer demand for Vidalia onions remains strong. We look forward to another successful season defined by quality and flavor.”

Grown and marketed conventionally as well as organically, Vidalia onion growers have worked tirelessly to ensure a successful season, even after facing numerous weather challenges throughout the growing period.

“It was unexpected that our crop would endure a tropical storm, a hurricane, floods and even six inches of snow — but that is exactly what happened,” Shane Curry, VOC executive director, said in the release. “Despite these unpredictable conditions, our crop has managed to withstand the challenges with only minor damage. We are eager to provide our consumers with the high-quality Vidalia onions they look forward to each year.”

Vidalia onions are cultivated using time-honored agricultural methods. Farmers carefully hand-plant, harvest and cure the onions to ensure each onion meets the stringent quality standards. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 established the official growing region and trademarked the term “Vidalia onion,” ensuring that only onions grown within the designated area can bear the name.

Prized for their sweetness and versatility, Vidalia onions are available for a limited time each year, April through early September. Consumers eagerly anticipate the arrival of these seasonal favorites, which have become a staple in kitchens across America, according to the release.

“Vidalia onion enthusiasts nationwide can mark their calendars for the date when the beloved sweet onions will start shipping to grocery stores, bringing a taste of Georgia’s unique agricultural heritage to kitchens everywhere,” according to the release.

Based in Vidalia, Georgia, the Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) administers Federal Marketing Order No. 955 which was established in 1989 which authorizes production and marketing research and development and marketing promotion programs. The marketing order stipulates where the sweet onion crop can be grown and help with research and promotion. Along with Georgia state laws, the federal program protects the Vidalia trademark and provides a legal framework for the industry.