Vegetables destined to be sold as fresh market items are placed in packages of various sizes and weight that can be palletized and easily transported. Because consumers expect to buy fresh items all year long, a producer who plans to sell through such outlets must be prepared to provide a sufficient volume over a long enough time to interest the buyer. The buyer and grocery store manager must maintain a continuous pipeline from the field to the grocery shelf. They do not desire to spend time selling their products. To Grow The future of the vegetable industry in Tennessee is very difficult to predict, but let s consider some positive factors.
Many factors favor growth.
Tennessee is located in the center of the population area in the eastern United States. Tennessee s growing season increases the opportunity to move products north in the early part of the season and south during the later part of the season. Thus, Tennessee has an opportunity to extend both its growing and marketing seasons. To do so will require stability in both production and marketing. It is well known that the volume of vegetable items consumed by resident Tennesseans and those who patronize our state is much larger than the amount produced in state.