The 2015-2016 lettuce season has begun well in terms of prices and volume, both of which are higher than in May 2014. Unlike last year, prices during the first month of the season are within the 2010-2014 average.
As of August 2014 prices continued to increase compared to the 2009-2013 average. This increase, despite a decrease in quantity compared to the previous year, means that the decrease in turnover for 2014-2015 was recorded at -0.7%. Prices this season continue to increase and are within the 2010-2014 average (with volume also increasing). Batavia is the main variety and has further increased this season. Excess water on some open air crops and cold temperatures in the morning in the West have led to some unhealthy or destroyed crops. Exports are modest all year round but should be particularly low between May and the end of the year.
Acreage of summer crops has decreased since 2014-2015 (-1% to 5,045 hectares) mainly in the North (Nord-Pas-de-Calais -8.5% and Ile-de-France -3% in a year; together represented 8% of national production in 2014 ). The Pays-de-la-Loire has recorded a 2% decrease in summer crops whilst Brittany and Lower Normandy are stable in terms of production (together represented 11% of national production in 2014). The South is stable, with Aquitaine being the only region to record an increase (over 4%). The South East (Rhone-Alpes, Languedoc-Roussillon and PACA represented 52% of national production in 2014). Production has increased since last year (+4% to 268 million heads). Yield has increased and makes up for the decrease in crops and allows for an increase in harvest compared to the same period last year. However, with under 300 million heads, this harvest continues the downwards trend and is 6% below the 2010-2014 average.
The increase in production during the summer harvest is relatively spread out between May and September. As soon as harvest began quantity was higher than the same time last year, and should continue to increase until November. Like the other years, production will see a seasonal decrease in August followed by a peak in production in October.