As last week’s downpour was disrupting harvesting, planting and other management practices in the region, it served as a reminder of the volatility of open market produce prices this season. Not since the 2006 season have Iceberg prices approached near record prices. At $40/carton in November, then down to $8 in mid January, lettuce prices were on the rebound early this week as they were back up to $14 as a result of last week’s storm. As we approach the end of January, season-to-date shipments of Iceberg are down, according to the USDA, with Yuma Iceberg movement at 8,680 truckloads as of Jan. 24, compared with 9,333 truckloads in 2009, a reduction of almost 7%. Expect this trend to continue throughout this El Nino winter, as above normal rainfall is predicted for the region through April. (To contact Kurt Nolte go to: knolte@cals.arizona.edu)

For questions or comments on any of the topics please contact Marco Pena at the Yuma Agricultural Center.
College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.