LAS CRUCES – The size of New Mexico’s chile crop increased in 2011 – a positive sign after dwindling to nearly 40-year low a year earlier, industry experts say.
In all, some 9,500 acres were harvested last year – about a 9 percent increase, according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Officials with the New Mexico Chile Association presented the figures during the morning session of an annual chile conference taking place at Hotel Encanto earlier this week.
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Chile in N.M. (2011 preliminary estimates) Acres planted: 10,000 Acres harvested: 9,500 Value: $46.7 million Volume: 70,700 tons - Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture |
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“It’s a good sign,” said Dino Cervantes, who just became president of the group. “Whether it’s sustainable over the next few years – it’s hard to say.”
Behind the increase, likely, was a strong demand from chile processors, who drive acreage numbers through their contracts with farmers, according to Cervantes. And driving the processors is strong consumption, he said.
The value of the crop inched upward, from $41.6 million in 2010 to $46.7 million in 2011, according to federal numbers.
Chief among problems facing the industry are a shortage of laborers and a lack of machinery capable of being used to harvest the crop, Cervantes said.
About 200 people attended the conference, said Paul Bosland, a New Mexico chile researcher who chairs the conference.
Attendees were from New Mexico, neighboring states and Mexico and included processing companies, farmers, researchers and chile-related businesses.
— This article appeared on page B1 of the Albuquerque Journal
