Potatoes, red and yellow, are Manitoba’s largest vegetable crop. “Manitoba grows more red and yellow potatoes than any other province in Canada,” says Larry McIntosh with Peak of the Market. The province’s next largest crops include carrots, organic cooking onions, green and red cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli.
Season runs from May through October
Asparagus kicks off the Manitoba vegetable season in May while other crops are harvested through October. Because of their storage ability, red and yellow potatoes as well as carrots, onions and cabbage are available for five to ten months after harvest. To maximize the length of the growing season, greenhouses are used to start plants that will be transplanted into the fields in spring.
Manitoba vegetables are being harvested right now. “The red and yellow potato crop looks to be slightly larger than average and the quality is great,” said McIntosh. “Due to wet weather conditions in the carrot growing area, we expect a below average crop of carrots, but will still have good quality. When we look at Manitoba’s over 40 different vegetable crops overall, I expect this will be an above average season in quantity and quality.”
“All vegetables sold under the Peak of the Market brand name are grown in Manitoba,” added McIntosh. “We also work with growers outside Manitoba but their produce is sold under the Sunny Sky Produce label.”
Quality assurance
In Manitoba, Peak of the Market is known for being locally grown. However, the company’s products are shipped throughout Canada and the US from its distribution centers in Winnipeg and Calgary. To provide quality assurance, Peak of the Market has a 40-acre research, education & quality enhancement site. In addition, all growers must have a third party food safety audit comparable to CanadaGAP.
