Quality challenges remain elevated in Salinas and Santa Maria Valley crops such as lettuce, broccoli, and cauliflower. Increased disease and pest pressure are impacting harvest yields and overall product quality.
Lettuce (iceberg, romaine, green leaf) supplies are exhibiting one or more of the following quality challenges:
- Decay
- Fog burn/internal burn
- Increased disease and plant virus pressure (Sclerotinia, Fusarium Wilt, Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus)
- Increased pest pressure (aphids, thrips)
- Long core/seeder
- Reduced shelf-life potential
Many broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage crops are exhibiting:
- Increased diamondback moth pressure
- Black mold (cauliflower)
- Bruising
- Brown bead (broccoli)
- Sporadic pin rot (broccoli)
- Reduced yields
- Reduced shelf-life potential
Compounding these concerns, smoke from the Timber Fire in Big Sur has been drifting over the valley in recent days, depositing fine ash and soot on the crops that cannot be effectively removed in most cases. Markon is closely monitoring potential impacts on both commodity and value-added products.
Markon inspectors continue to work closely with growers, harvesting crews, and processors to identify the best available lots and implement additional trimming and processing measures to minimize defects and maintain product quality.
Please contact your Markon Account Manager for more information.
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