Press release from Markon Cooperative, Salinas, CA
Temperatures along major West Coast and Southwestern growing regions have cooled significantly since last week’s heatwave.
Areas such as the Salinas, San Joaquin, and Santa Maria Valleys, as well as Oxnard and the California/Arizona desert growing regions were all impacted. Several key commodity and value-added fruits and vegetable items such as broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and leafy greens are exhibiting heat-related quality and shelf-life issues.
Challenges that Markon inspectors are currently observing include but are not limited to:
Broccoli:
- Brown bead
- Dehydration
- Hollow core
- Insect pressure
- Pin rot
Cauliflower:
- Insect pressure
- Mold spots
Lettuce:
- Bottom rot/decay
- Dehydration
- Fringe burn
- Growth crack
- Insect pressure
- Internal burn
- Long core/seeder
- Mildew pressure
- Shortened shelf-life
- Sun scalding
Strawberries:
- Bruising
- Decreased size
- Shortened shelf-life
- Soft texture
Leafy Greens:
- Bolting/seeder
- Dehydration
- Insect pressure
- Mildew pressure
- Shortened shelf-life
- Yellowing
Markon suppliers are working to mitigate these challenges by selecting the cleanest product and culling supplies with serious defects. However, harvesting and processing crews cannot completely avoid all of these heat-related issues.
Although the heatwave has passed, we can expect to feel the effects for two more weeks, or possibly longer.
Markon inspectors are monitoring supplies closely and will update as needed. Ordering for quick turns and maintaining the cold chain is critical for maximizing the quality and shelf-life of perishable produce items.