INVESTIGATION. AS WE APPROACH MID-JULY, PEACH TREES ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA ARE HEAVY WITH FRUIT. THIS SEASON IS SEEING A PRETTY BIG COMEBACK. GOOD NEWS OUR JAMYA JAMYA JOINS US LIVE NOW FROM GREENVILLE COUNTY WITH A LOOK AT HOW THE SEASON IS GOING. RASHAD. CINDY. THIS YEAR WILL BE BETTER FOR PEACH FARMERS, ESPECIALLY AFTER A ROUGH LAST YEAR. IT’S A WELCOMED SEASON FOR BOTH FARMERS AND CUSTOMERS. PEACHES IN THE AREA, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH, ARE VERY POPULAR. HIGHER FARMS AND LANDRUM SHIPS PEACHES ALL ACROSS THE EAST COAST. WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL OVER, UM, AS FAR SOUTH AS FLORIDA, AS FAR NORTH AS PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW YORK. THEY START PRODUCTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. NOT THAT WE’RE IN THE PEAK OF PEACH SEASON, AND IT’S A GREAT TIME FOR PEACHES HERE IN THE UPSTATE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IS A REALLY GOOD TIME FOR FREESTONE PEACHES. AND THEY’RE VERY SWEET AND JUICY. ACCORDING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, LAST YEAR, PEACH PRODUCTION WAS DOWN 49% IN THE STATE LAST YEAR WE HAD A LOT OF FREEZE DAMAGE. UM, COLD WEATHER THAT ACTUALLY KILLED THE THE PEACHES IN THE BLOOM. SO LAST YEAR WE PROBABLY ONLY HAD ABOUT 10% OF A TOTAL CROP. BUT THIS YEAR, FARMERS AND PEACH LOVERS CAN EXPECT A VARIETY OF THE FRUIT IN THE STATE. THIS YEAR, WHERE WE’RE PROBABLY MORE AROUND 90 TO 100% OF A CROP. THIS YEAR, WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY DAMAGE, HARDLY AT ALL. NOT ONLY HAS THE SUPPLY OF PEACHES IMPROVED, SO HAVE THE PRICES. YES. SO THE PRICE OF PEACHES THIS YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, WHICH OF COURSE IS SUPPLY. AND DEMAND. LAST YEAR THERE WERE NO PEACHES FOR ANYONE TO GET BECAUSE THEY ALL GOT KILLED. WHEREAS THIS YEAR EVERYONE HAS A FULL CROP WHICH IS GOING TO HELP BRING THE PRICE DOWN, WHICH BENEFITS THE FARMERS AND THE CUSTOMERS. GOING DIRECT TO CONSUMER HELPS THEM OUT SO PEOPLE CAN PURCHASE MORE PEACHES, WHICH THEN IN RETURN HELPS THE FARMERS SELL MORE PEACHES ALSO. SO KIND OF A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE. AND HERE AT HEIDER FARMS THEY USUALLY SELL AROUND 90,000 BASKETS OF PEACHES. A YEAR. THEY USED TO SELL TO LARGER BRANDS, BUT NOW THEY SELL DIRECTLY T
Peach season in SC makes a big comeback after a rough season last year
Updated: 6:01 PM EDT Jul 10, 2024
As we approach mid-July, peach trees across South Carolina are heavy with fruit, marking the peak of peach season and a significant comeback for the crop."Peaches in the area, especially in the South, are very popular," said Brandon Hyden, of Hyden Farms field/marketing.Hyden Farms in Landrum ships peaches all across the East Coast. "We have people coming from all over, as far south as Florida, and as far north as Pennsylvania and New York," said Hyden.Hyden explained that their production starts at the beginning of the year, and now they are in the peak of peach season. "It’s a great time for peaches here in the Upstate, because right now is a really good time for freestone peaches and they’re very sweet and juicy," he said.According to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, last year peach production was down forty-nine percent in the state. "Last year we had a lot of freeze damage, cold weather, that actually killed the peaches in the blooms. So last year we only had about 10 percent of a total crop," Hyden explained.This year, farmers and peach lovers can expect a variety of the fruit in the state. "This year we're probably more around ninety to one hundred percent of a crop. We didn’t have any damage, hardly at all," said Hyden.Not only has the supply of peaches improved, so have the prices. "The price of peaches is a little bit less than it was last year. Of course, it's supply and demand. Last year there were no peaches for anyone to get because they all got killed, whereas this year, everyone has a full crop which is going to help bring the price down," said Hyden.This benefits both the farmers and the customers. "Going direct to consumer helps them out because people can purchase more peaches, which in return helps the farmers sell more peaches, creating a win-win for everyone," Hyden said.In a typical year at Hyden Farms, they sell about 90,000 baskets of peaches. They used to sell to larger brands but now sell directly to consumers, enhancing the farm's connection with its customers.
LANDRUM, S.C. — As we approach mid-July, peach trees across South Carolina are heavy with fruit, marking the peak of peach season and a significant comeback for the crop.
"Peaches in the area, especially in the South, are very popular," said Brandon Hyden, of Hyden Farms field/marketing.
Hyden Farms in Landrum ships peaches all across the East Coast. "We have people coming from all over, as far south as Florida, and as far north as Pennsylvania and New York," said Hyden.
Hyden explained that their production starts at the beginning of the year, and now they are in the peak of peach season. "It’s a great time for peaches here in the Upstate, because right now is a really good time for freestone peaches and they’re very sweet and juicy," he said.
According to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, last year peach production was down forty-nine percent in the state. "Last year we had a lot of freeze damage, cold weather, that actually killed the peaches in the blooms. So last year we only had about 10 percent of a total crop," Hyden explained.
This year, farmers and peach lovers can expect a variety of the fruit in the state. "This year we're probably more around ninety to one hundred percent of a crop. We didn’t have any damage, hardly at all," said Hyden.
Not only has the supply of peaches improved, so have the prices. "The price of peaches is a little bit less than it was last year. Of course, it's supply and demand. Last year there were no peaches for anyone to get because they all got killed, whereas this year, everyone has a full crop which is going to help bring the price down," said Hyden.
This benefits both the farmers and the customers. "Going direct to consumer helps them out because people can purchase more peaches, which in return helps the farmers sell more peaches, creating a win-win for everyone," Hyden said.
In a typical year at Hyden Farms, they sell about 90,000 baskets of peaches. They used to sell to larger brands but now sell directly to consumers, enhancing the farm's connection with its customers.
