The only commercial lettuce grower and distributor in the Red Centre, Northern Territory, Mo McKosker, reports that the summer heat and some humidity has hit his production hard. The weather has meant that produce has only been available locally and sales to Darwin have been forgone.
He said it has been tough but they were getting through it. "We try to cool our water and with the humidity around, that hasn't worked as well as we would have liked.
"It has led to a bit of root rot in our system."
Mr McKosker said they were fixing the root rot by stripping out the irrigation systems, sterilising them and then re-planting.
He said Darwin buyers would still be there to take his produce when conditions were better and he was back at full production in a few weeks' time.
Mr McKosker said the lettuce market had changed in recent years and the whole-head market had "diminished dramatically in favour of cut leaf".
He said they were using lettuce that split easier and were selling smaller boxes to catering customers.
"The seed breeders are starting to go into those types of designer lettuces.
"The cut leaf is probably 70 per cent of our market, whereas five years ago, the whole head was 7 per cent of our market."
Prior to making the changes, Mr McKosker was finding things tough and was ready to sell the farm.
"Things are looking a bit brighter, but as far as selling the farm or stepping aside in the near future, it hasn't left the brain department," he said.
Source: abc.net.au
