It’s a classic case of supply and demand in the celery market.
Prices have been on the rise in December as crops transition and supplies struggle to keep up with consumer demand.
Markon Cooperative {{BB #:123315}} released a crop update this week that projected higher prices and strong demand through December.
This week, USDA reported prices of $40-50 per carton of 18s, which is up from $28-35 per carton at the start of December.
Markon said the Salinas, CA, season is nearly finished, and although production is going in Oxnard, CA, some disease pressure is reducing yields. Santa Maria produces supplies year-round, but the Arizona and California desert production hasn’t started yet.
Supplies are projected to start shipping in mid- to late December.
