Lettuce shortages impacting shoppers on the Central Coast
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- Lettuce prices are rising on the Central Coast, and shoppers feel the pinch in their pockets.
"Crazy, crazy prices," said Cindy Dodd of Salinas.
Earlier this year, viruses struck lettuce production in the Salinas Valley. Peak production for lettuce in Salinas is between May to November.
Agriculture experts said lettuce prices have skyrocketed due to cold weather in certain regions.
"In terms of supply shortages or challenging from active lettuce producing regions, which right now is not the Salinas region, it's the desert production region," said Christopher Valadez, President of the Grower-Shipper Association, "My understanding is for that cause is mainly due for weather, and cold weather."
The shortage of lettuce has also impacted food chain restaurants by putting up signs that they don't have the vegetable, like Froster Freeze on Main St in Salinas.
But Valadez said that small businesses would be impacted the most.
"The supply of lettuce has been reduced, the demand, let's assume, has been constant because there is a gap there," said Valadez, "The marketplace has determined that the cost of lettuce is now higher. The reason for the reduction in lettuce availability which affects price that a mom and pop experiencing today."
Shoppers now have had to switch to buying different types of lettuce.
"Head lettuce is way more expensive than buying the three bags of head," said Codd.
Agricultural experts said that they couldn't predict when lettuce prices will go down, it all depends if the cold temperature in the desert regions, like the Imperial Valley in Riverside or Yuma in Arizona, will have milder conditions able to boost lettuce production.
