We all read the updates on weekly market conditions. Weak, strong, up, down, escalated, Acts of God, legs, no legs. All produce lingo to inform end users on the state of lettuce, berries and vegetables.
It all sounds fine in an update on paper. Reality sets in when we as consumers shop and take our fruits and vegetables home for meals prepared in our own kitchens.
For the past several weeks, excessive and prolonged heat (triple digit temperatures) in our prime growing areas is newsworthy. Next came the headlines of multiple fires throughout California, Oregon and Washington. Smoke and ash continue to push air quality in to unhealthy ranges.
Warnings of short supplies, higher prices and tight markets are a direct result of those late summer events. Harvest disruptions due to lack of labor or minimum time available to pick, sort and pack have worked against growers.
Product alerts tell retailers and chefs to order tight or “truck to shelf or truck to plate”. Valencia oranges have suffered from heat stress. Romaine, iceberg and leafy lettuces are now showing the affects of insect damage and high temperatures.
Growers do their best to mitigate all quality concerns in every crop. It makes good sense for the farmer to want to make the most of their sales. Still, unavoidable circumstances have prevailed this summer to give growers more headaches than usual.
Since most meals are now being made or consumed at home under COVID restrictions, production disruptions hit close to home on food waste and the wallet. Fewer store trips for marketing mean the perishables need to last and go farther.