Lettuce and chicory productions are expected to decrease this year due to the rainfall and lack of light over the spring. Whilst lettuce acreage is stable, summer production (231 million heads), is at a historic low, down 9% over the year.
However, the prices have remained strong. Lettuce prices are 18% above those recorded last year and chicory are 27% higher. Recent high temperatures should reboost the consumption. Spanish imports (which represent over three quarters of this type of import) have decreased by 7% this year.
Most production is still in the North, West and Centre West. Some farms have even had to destroy whole fields due to health issues but acreage remains within the average, it is the yield that will be affected. The better weather conditions could allow production to return to the levels recorded in July 2017.