Some growers lost crops or delayed plantings, while distributors had gaps in supply, damage and cleanup, or idle trucks. Dominguez had clients in several areas that were forced to stop placing orders for a time due to Harvey and its aftermath.
At Ruiz Sales, the price of getting product to customers went up due to flooded, damaged, or closed roads. “Harvey affected us for weeks with a higher freight cost for extra miles, with an extra day for on-time arrival through Dallas to Florida,” he says.
This was in direct contrast to early in the year, when there was an overabundance of good weather and booming crops. “Our biggest challenge last year was that there was no interruption in the growing process,” says Incaviglia of GR Fresh. “There was too much product.”
Of course, Mother Nature made some adjustments in Texas and throughout the rest of the country, and oversupply was not a major concern for the coming months.
On the Horizon
Few would argue that the future remains rosy for the Valley, despite last year’s hiccups.
Given its ongoing growth, which many predict will accelerate even more over the next decade, the issue may be how the region handles it.
It would undoubtedly be easy to be overwhelmed by the influx of new residents and businesses—produce-related and otherwise—but Incaviglia offers a more measured approach. “We’ll deal with competition the way we always have: go to work every day and take care of business.”
Images: artjazz, Professional, ED Reardon/Shutterstock.com
