Production of cauliflower and celery is winding down in California. Demand for both commodities has been good this month, as the Christmas pull kept prices up.“Cauliflower has been very active for the month of December,” said Jason Lathos of Church Brothers. “With the Christmas pull over, demand has been lower and prices are adjusting. But it was a very active market with very good demand through the first two weeks of the month.” Prices were strong through the start of the month, and it's only now, after retailers have put in their orders for the last bit of the holiday season, that demand has let up and prices have come down some.
As of December 18, the price for a carton of cauliflower out of the Imperial Valley was between $12.00 and $16.95. The price out of Santa Maria was between $12.00 and $20.00, and the price out of Western Arizona was between $14.65 and $19.35.
“I think the transition out of Santa Maria is almost pretty much done,” said Lathos. “We'll have a reduction in coastal volumes, and by the first of the year the desert volumes will ramp up.”
The celery market has been similar to the cauliflower market, with good demand for the first part of December and reduced supplies and decreased demand heading into Christmas. The price for a carton of celery pushed above the $20.00 mark earlier this month, with prices getting as high as $25.00. But, as with cauliflower, the market has adjusted. On December 18, the price for a carton of celery out of Santa Maria was between $14.00 and $18.56, a carton out of the Oxnard District was between $14.85 and $20.56, and the price for a carton out of the Coachella Valley was between $17.05 and $20.85.
For more information:
Jason Lathos
Church Brothers
+1 831 796 1058