By KRWG News
Las Cruces – Growers say prolonged cool springtime temperatures followed by a heat wave in June add up to a delayed and likely smaller chili harvest.
Hatch area grower Shayne Franzoy says he won't begin harvesting his 200 acres of chilies until early to mid-August, about three weeks later than normal.
Experts say the cool spring led to very slow growth for chili fields. The heat wave then stressed the plants. But New Mexico State University vegetable specialist Stephanie Walker doesn't expect the quality of the chilies to decline.
New Mexico growers planted about 12,300 acres with red and green chilies last year. The harvested peppers were valued at $57.4 million.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.