Tomato growers get 31% bump in price
The California Tomato Growers Association announced January 27 they have agreed to $138.00 per ton for 2023 with major processors. Processing tomatoes are one of Kings County’s most important crops processed here into popular staples like salsa and ketchup.“CTGA considers $138.00 to be a fair and reasonable Base Price for the industry, growers, and processors alike. This represents a 31.4% increase from 2022. The Board also felt it was important to set the price to provide the growers certainty for 2023.”
The price per ton is not only a record but nearly double what growers got in 2017 when they received $70 a ton. They got $84 a ton in 2020 and $105 last year.
Corcoran reports new development
City officials report there is an increase in residential and commercial development in the City of Corcoran, with construction of new roads, the gateway park is 90% completed, and Adventist Health was issued a permit for a 20,000 square foot health center. There will be a new Starbucks, two new restaurants, and three gas stations coming to Corcoran; and a 50-home residential project will be starting soon.
Locals gear up for crowds at acclaimed World Ag Expo
California’s largest farm expo comes to Tulare County on Feb. 14-16 when the 2023 World Ag Expo opens at the International Agri-Center. The annual event is expected to draw 100,000 attendees from California, other states and more than 30 countries, organizers say. The expo will feature more than 1,200 exhibitors and 2.6 million square feet of show space. The event highlights agricultural innovations. Among new ones this year is a robotic system that conducts surveillance of bee colonies to protect tree-nut growers from colony collapse.
Energy Commission staff approves 99MW battery storage at Henrietta power plant
Kings County was notified this month that staff at the California Energy Commission have approved the addition of a 99MW battery storage facility at the Henrietta power plant near Lemoore.The battery storage plant will operate independently from the peaker plant storing renewable energy from the grid to be dispatched during peak load demand time periods as in summer months.The commission is expected to give the final OK soon.
ZEVS sell big but not in Kings County
California announced that 18.8% (345,818 units) of all new cars sold last year in California were Zero Emission Vehicles. A small number of those ZEV sales (3.89%, or 3,303 units) were made to out-of-state buyers. 40% of ZEVs sold in the US are sold in California. Three counties account for almost half of the sales. LA County customers acquired almost 100,000 ZEVs. Buyers in Tulare County numbered 807 and Kings County residents bought 255 cars in 2022.