Unless you are hauling a produce item coming out of storage in the West, it can be pretty risky business this time of the year. Apples, potatoes and onions tend to be your best bet. Row crop vegetables, such as many that are coming out of the California and Arizona deserts are much less preditable and seem to become more so with each passing winter storm.
Case in point is the latest winter weather that marched through California, Arizona and eastward Feb. 18 -22. Only minor damage is reported such as lettuce with some blisters on it.
Supplies have been on a roller coaster ride throughout the winter vegetable season and will continue on the unpredictable course through the end of March. Expect light or moderate shipments of many veggies during the next month ranging from the leafy items to broccoli, cauliflower and green onions.
Shipments will be especially light over the next couple of months and possibly even lighter in April.
The California and Arizona deserts provide the most shipments for vegetables through March. Shipments of some plants such as broccoli and cauliflower, will have shifted to the Salinas Valley by April.
The Huron district in California’s San Joaquin Valley is a major shipping point for Iceberg and Romaine lettuce in April, usually occurring as the change from the desert to Salinas and the Santa Maria area takes place. Those coastal districts normally hit stride with shipments in May.
While loadings of many vegetable items should start picking up in April, some shippers see few if any celery being loaded.
Desert Vegetables – grossing about $4200 to Atlanta.