Late rains provide lots of red chile

LAS CRUCES (AP) - Late season rains and cool temperatures caused green chile crops to ripen early this year, leading to a flood of red chile on the market.

New Mexico State University vegetable specialist Stephanie Walker says the rapid green chile growing season didn't give farmers a lot of time to harvest before the crop turned red.

Hatch chile farmer Jimmy Lytle says growers who didn't have contracts with red chile processors are most affected by the abundant red chile market and low prices.

An early freeze also shortened the red chile ripening process.

Walker says while late summer rains caused some disease problems for growers, it was otherwise a very successful crop and harvest.

The statewide crop was valued at $42.3 million last year.

Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News