Canada: Lettuce shortage causing prices to skyrocket

Published Nov 25, 2022

Tridge summary

A lettuce shortage in the U.S., particularly due to a hot and dry growing season in California and the Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV), has led to a Decimated crop and a significant shortage. This shortage has caused a four-fold increase in lettuce prices, forcing restaurants and businesses to either remove salads from their menus or find alternative, less expensive local sources. Although Mike's Bar and Grill in Strathmore has managed to find reasonably priced lettuce locally, the sustainability of this solution is uncertain, given the low stock levels in grocery stores.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

A lettuce shortage is causing problems all across our country, and Strathmore is feeling the effects. Mike Scott from Mike's Bar and Grill said he's had to pull some salads off of his menu because of how much the prices skyrocketed. "We've had to limit what we're bringing in, plus we've had to limit what we're offering to guests. Our iceberg lettuce was $240 a case, and it normally is $65 a case, so it was literally almost four times the amount. What's causing this lettuce shortage? A dry, hot growing season in California combined with a virus Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) that affects plants has led to the "decimated" crops and a "massive shortage," which has caused the current shortages we are seeing. Fortunately for Mike, he's been able to find reasonably priced lettuce locally, although that doesn't change the strain felt by the shortage, and he is not sure how long that option will be available as ...

Source: Hortidaily