2012: Week 43 at the Source (Week 45 in the Market)

Rain: Week 43 brought total precipitation of 35 mm – close to one inch and a half but in highly variable doses – some very dry days followed by a couple of days with heavy rain during the beginning and the middle of the week. The weekend was completely dry.
Temperature: We experienced a slight increase in both air and soil temperatures. The average minimum temperature reached 23 Celsius degrees (73.4 F) and the average weekly temperature was 27.6 Celsius degrees (81.7 F). Average soil temperature registered 27.3 Celsius degrees (81.1 F). Relative humidity remained stable at 83.7 %. Solar radiation varied in intensity throughout the week but was dominated by medium to high radiation days that could cause some fruit damage (sunburn and corky fruit).
Observations: October turned out to be within historical precipitation parameters – total precipitation for the month was 135 mm (5.3 inches). The forecast for November increased in precipitation, less solar radiation and lower air and soil temperatures which will bring on challenges in controlling internal quality as well as increased pest pressure. Agricultural practices, like soil preparation, planting and fertilization become difficult to keep on schedule. But you can bet Oscar and Luciano will be out there every day making timely decisions to prioritize farm chores.