Lettuce industry remains stunned by early February hard freeze

The lettuce industry remains stunned by the Feb. 3-4 hard freeze which decimated crops in the Yuma, Imperial and Coachella valleys. Widespread overnight lows reached 23-27 degrees; a few areas reached as low as 18 degrees. The freeze over New Year's resulted in lettuce ice three to four leaves deep. In comparison, the early February freeze produced lettuce ice six to eight leaves deep. Freezing causes blisters to form on the frost-affected areas of Iceberg and Romaine lettuce. These blisters pop and then peel as the plant continues to grow. The epidermal peel discolors and eventually leads to decay. Harvest crews work at a reduced pace to remove all affected leaves before packing. The result is smaller heads, lighter weights and pale color. The effects of the early February freeze are far reaching and will persist through the duration of the desert winter season, which ends in late March. Receivers should continue to anticipate four things from the early February freeze: quality is weak, shelf life is reduced, prices are very high, and these problems will present a significant challenge to the lettuce industry through the month of March.

Week of 28 February 2011Compile by Joe Villar

Senior Buyer

Web prodexfresh.ca Email info@prodexfresh.caOrder Desk 416 745 4411 Facsimile 416 745 4564

Above excerpts were obtained by “The Produce News, Volume 115, No. 35

FreshDriven

Web prodexfresh.ca Email info@prodexfresh.caOrder Desk 416 745 4411 Facsimile 416 745 4564

Above excerpts were obtained by “The Produce News, Volume 115, No. 35

BROCCOLIThe desert broccoli crop came through the Feb. 3-4 freeze relatively unscathed. Current quality is strong, and there are adequate supplies of bunch 14s, crowns and Asian cut crowns. The desert growing areas are bracing for yet another freeze over the weekend of Feb. 26-27. The near-term forecast calls for the outlying areas of Yuma to reach 33 degrees the night of Feb. 26 and 34 degrees the following night. Daytime highs will reach only 59 degrees Feb. 27. Shippers forewarn that this pending freeze will interfere with broccoli availability and tighten supplies. Lettuce and Romaine may become so tight from Feb. 28 to March 2 that broccoli receives spillover demand just to fill trucks.

CELERYOxnard celery shippers continue to feel the negative effects of the relentless holiday storms which produced nearly 12 inches of rain. Now, 60 days after the rains, growers continue to feel the negative effects of light yields and lower quality. The market recently spiked to very expensive levels and has subsequently fallen nearly as quickly as it climbed. A salesman for a large Oxnard shipper recently stated, "We as an industry pushed prices too high too quickly. As a result, the overall market began to ease February 15 and continued to drop until February 21." The market has apparently found a bottom and will hold near current levels heading into the week of Feb. 28. The next challenge is visible on the horizon. The desert season will wind down the week of Feb. 28 just as shippers foresee significant rain gaps beginning in Oxnard. Buyers can expect roller coaster markets the next 45-60 days.

STRAWBERRIESA major shipper with operations in Florida, California and Mexico said, "Our production in central Mexico will continue to peak into late February. This growing area is 800 miles south of Yuma and dodged the freezing temperatures in early February." Fruit from Mexico is available for loading in Yuma, AZ. Fruit color is good with an occasional white shoulder. The berry count per one-pound clamshell is 18-22. The near-term market is expected to hold fairly steady into early March. Near-term production in Oxnard, CA, will be affected by the return of cold temperatures. Daytime highs will reach only the mid-50s through Feb. 27 with overnight lows dipping to 36 degrees Feb. 26. Oxnard will become the primary shipping hub on the West Coast beginning in mid-March.

SPRING MIXDesert spring mix shippers continue to struggle mightily with poor yields and minimal supplies caused by the hard freeze in early February. A large Yuma shipper said that the freeze wiped out 80 percent of its remaining winter acreage. Components of the spring mix take 60 days to grow, and there are fewer than 40 days left in the winter season, which runs through March. Overall product quality is weak, and the shelf life is compromised. Buyers can expect significant prorates through March. Spring mix quality and availability will not return completely to normal until shippers return to the Salinas Valley in early April.