“Growing conditions for cabbage are good this year and we are right where we need to be in terms of supply. We are on schedule, no situation of oversupply and not a demand-exceeds-supply situation either. Leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, food retailers traditionally promote cabbage in their ads,” Polk said. As a result, demand goes up. “Prices of both green and red cabbage are very similar to last year. Green cabbage is about $12 f.o.b. at the moment. Last year, the price range was $10 - $12 and went up to $14 right before St. Patrick’s Day”, commented Polk. Red cabbage is about $18 f.o.b. at the moment.The vast majority of Growers Express’ cabbage is distributed to food retailers. Demand comes from all areas of the US. The West is an important region, but Growers Express also ships to the Midwest, the East and the Northeast. “Distribution to the Southeast is limited due to local supply from Florida,” said Polk. “However, some food retailers from the Northeast prefer California cabbage over Florida cabbage.”
Around mid-April, cabbage production moves from Imperial and Yuma to Santa Maria. In the middle of May, the transition is made into the Salinas Valley. “This is a challenging time of the year. Our cabbage cannot be stored, it is all harvested, packed and shipped fresh,” Polk said. We have about three days from packing to shipping. The transition can be largely affected by weather and usually for about six weeks, leading to lighter supply. Many Florida cabbage varieties can be stored anywhere from several weeks to several months, which makes for a smoother transition. “Despite the transition, we expect to be able to satisfy everyone’s cabbage needs this year.”
Growers Express, LLC is a farmer-owned and integrated grower, packer and shipper of fresh vegetables. In 1995, Growers Express became a licensed partner of Green Giant™ Fresh.