Overall, the team at Caddy expects the 2017 crop to be slightly smaller or same as 2016 crop due to ongoing sugarcane aphid issues. However, we have inventory to supply all size crafters and not anticipating any stock-outs.
The 2015 crop was almost completely destroyed by yellow sugarcane aphids, also called sorghum aphids. Mexican farmers lost about 90% of everything planted. In 2016, farmers began to fumigate the broomcorn and fields that were fumigated every 2 weeks were successful. Unfortunately, treatment is expensive and not all the farmers have the money to fumigate.
In more hopeful news, farmers planted some of Dr. Sam Moyer’s seed in 2016 and with fumigation it produced nice-looking broomcorn, now in our warehouses (pictured: Dr. Sam Moyer with some craft broomcorn grown from his seed). Our staff is working with Dr. Moyer to try to develop an aphid resistant broomcorn.
Every year has 3 main harvests. The winter crop grown in southern Mexico is harvested in March, received at our warehouse in April-May. The spring crop is harvested in June-July from western and northern Mexico, available typically around August. The fall crop grown in northern Mexico is harvested in October, available in the November and December time frame.