California’s Salinas Valley growing season is winding down; quality and shelf-life challenges are becoming more prevalent in commodity and value-added items such as broccoli, lettuce, and tender leaf items. Long, warm days and humid nights have been taking their toll on crops, causing an increase in issues that include, but are not limited to:
- Bottom rot
- Increased disease and plant virus pressure
- Increased pest pressure (aphid, diamondback moth, lygus)
- Internal burn/tip burn
- Mildew pressure
- Reduced case weights
- Reduced shelf-life
Markon First Crop (MFC) lettuce and broccoli items are limited. Markon Best Available (MBA) or packer brand are being substituted as needed. Value-added suppliers are allocating their best product for Markon orders.
Ordering for quick turns is recommended and as always, maintaining the cold chain throughout distribution is critical for maximizing quality and shelf-life.
Please contact your Markon Account Manager for more information.
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