Canadian disquiet over lettuce shortage

Published Nov 22, 2022

Tridge summary

The California leafy greens industry is experiencing a devastating season due to the impact of Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and Pythium wilt, with an estimated 20% of the Salinas Valley crop affected. This has led to significant supply disruptions and higher prices in the market. The situation is causing concern about the industry's reliability and has prompted discussions about the potential shift towards controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) and vertical farming, particularly in desert areas facing a severe water crisis. Canadian retail grocery analyst Sylvain Charlebois suggests that this situation highlights the need for Canada to increase its self-reliance in vegetable production, potentially through CEA.

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

Original content

No one should fault the California leafy greens industry for its disastrous season, which is coming to an end now.But it has been a harsh one.Mary Zischke, facilitator for the INSV and Pythium task force with the Grower Shipper Association BB #:162651 in Salinas, has estimated that 20 percent of the Salinas Valley crop has been affected by Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV). California lettuce quality problems worsen – Produce Blue Book Pythium wilt has been another culprit.One grower said that he had seen 20-acre fields from which not a single head of lettuce could be harvested.This situation is changing at present, as desert crops come in. Price relief coming soon to lettuce markets – Produce Blue BookBut the supply disruption may in the long run cause as many problems for California leafy greens as the viruses that have devastated the crop.Sylvain Charlebois, a prominent Canadian retail grocery analyst, suggests that right now, our northern neighbor is becoming exasperated ...

Source: Producebluebook