Supplies of broccoli continue to be hard to come by as producers struggle to keep up with demand. The situation hasn't been helped by unusually hot weather in the Salinas growing region which has damaged some of the upcoming crop. The focus now is the transition to the Yuma region for the winter season.
"Broccoli is an all year round deal with both crowns and florets the two main products," said Victor Wilcox, of 1st Quality Produce in California. "The Salinas season generally lasts from April to the end of October, beginning of November. We then transition to the Yuma region over winter, from November to the end of March. The Salinas season was going well up until about a month ago, when we had some unusually high temperatures that caused pin rot in some of the crop, especially the baby broccoli. Pin rot is caused by a mixture of excess heat along with moisture. This has really affected supply which was already limited due to high demand because this crop will be slow to mature."
Demand continues to be very strong
Broccoli demand has been so high in recent months that a number of producers have had to almost ration supply to ensure customers receive stock. Being a staple vegetable for many customers, including government schools, that level has remained steady. However, prices are steadily getting back to normal with the anticipation of the Yuma season and the prediction of a steady supply over the winter months.
"Demand is very high still but things are starting to get back to normal," continued Wilcox. "There is always a demand from K12 schools who use broccoli for school lunches to satisfy the green requirement of their nutritional plan. Prices are still high but not at the same level they were a month ago, when it was double the normal price. Currently, it is still above average but things are getting back to normal. Expectations are for supplies to strengthen once the Yuma season starts. In that region, the climate is steadier and they don't receive the same hot and cold extremes as in California."Labor costs remain a challenge
One of the ongoing issues is the high labor costs that are making it difficult for growers to get product out to market. This issue has been common for many growers and continues to present a challenge for them moving forward. "The high labor costs, especially in California, continue to bite into the bottom line of producers," Wilcox noted. "This doesn't help with either the supply issue or the high price of broccoli."
For more information:
Victor Wilcox
1st Quality Produce
Tel: 559-442-1932