Brassica crops in California's Central Valley are contending with the Diamondback Moth. "It has really hit California pretty hard and it goes after Brassica crops. If it gets into a field, it can devastate a field very quickly," says Frank Ratto of Ratto Bros Inc. noting that crops potentially affected include green and red cabbage, bok choy, southern greens, and more. "We're seeing a little bit of pressure. It's not bad and we're trying to control it."
However, there could be a challenge ahead given that for the next two weeks, California temperatures will be in the high 90s. "As long as the weather stays warm and the bug doesn't go dormant, it's going to affect a lot of California crops," he says.
Managing the crops
While there are limited pesticides that can battle the Diamondback Moth, Ratto says spraying chemicals that are effective and vacuuming the fields are just a few of the strategies it's using to manage the issue. "We're also being very diligent in our harvesting and peeling back the layers of cabbage to get rid of affected leaves. We've also spread our ranches out so if one is affected, we can go to a different one," he says.
In turn, Ratto says there are reports of shippers sourcing Canadian cabbage given the potential issues in California thanks to this moth. It's also anticipated that this could strengthen some brassica markets.
For more information:
Frank Ratto
Ratto Bros. Inc.
Tel.: +1-209-545-7575
[email protected]
www.rattobros.com