Marketing Season Now Underway For Ga's Vidalia Onion Crop
Each year consumers eagerly await the arrival of
These onions are planted from September through February and are available fresh from late April through mid-July. Although similar onion hybrids are grown in other parts of the country, the combination of sandy soil and mild climate in the central and southeastern areas of
The official Vidalia onion production area includes the following counties: Appling, Bacon, Bulloch, Candler, Emmanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Truetlen and Wheeler; also included are portions of Dodge, Jenkins, Laurens, Long, Pierce, Screven and
Vidalia onions have a higher water and sugar content than other onions and are cholesterol free, a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber, and are low in calories and fat.
Although labels may vary among growers and packers, state law requires that the following information be listed on each bag of Vidalia onions sold:
Name and complete business address of the grower and/or packer.
Net weight of the bag.
Statement that the onions are a product of
Name of the product and must include the word “onion.”
“I encourage consumers who find onions being sold as Vidalias ® that do not meet these criteria to contact our Marketing Division,” said Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin. “We want to investigate such complaints to insure that the integrity of the Vidalia ® onion is maintained,” to contact the Marketing Division, call (404) 656-3680 (
Vidalia Onion Facts
Vidalia onions are the state vegetable of
Vidalia onions were first grown more than 60 years ago by Mose Coleman in
Tourists who bought sweet onions at the Vidalia Farmers’ Market coined the name “Vidalia onion.”
In 1986
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