The supply of Spanish iceberg lettuce has plummeted as a result of the harvest being brought forward due to high temperatures, which in turn has also had a significant impact on the quality.
"The winter was warmer than usual, which accelerated the production of iceberg lettuce. Now there is a production gap, very low product quality and sky-high prices," says Alina Vasilica, from the commercial department of Murciana de Vegetales.
"We don't produce iceberg lettuce, which is the most affected by the situation, but due to its volume, the prices for lettuce in general are usually shaped by it, and its scarce supply has led to an increase in the demand for our products, including the Romaine, mini Romaine, Little Gem or Little Gem hearts, among others, and prices have consequently increased," says Alina.
The demand currently exceeds the supply and there are companies that are only managing to cover already established programs, with no volumes left for extra orders.
Meanwhile, central European countries are starting their local harvests earlier, because in many cases, they've also had warmer temperatures than usual. "Some countries have stopped importing earlier this year, so I doubt there will be a significant gap between the Spanish production and that of central and northern Europe," says Alina Vasilica.
For more information:
Alina Vasilica
G.H. Murciana de Vegetales
T: +34 968 15 12 22
M: +34 667 975 472
comercial5@ghmurcianadevegetales.com
www.ghmurcianadevegetales.com