March 13, 2023 — Markon BB #:123315 Live from the Fields’ video shows significant widespread flooding currently taking place in California’s Salinas Valley.
On Friday, March 10, the floor of the Salinas Valley received nearly three inches of rain, while as much as six inches fell in the mountains on both sides of the valley.
Additional rains are forecast in the Salinas Valley on March 13 and 14, with an additional one to three inches expected. The Pajaro River levee, located in the Watsonville/Pajaro Valley, failed last Saturday, March 11, substantially flooding the northern side of the valley; the three main crops affected are iceberg, romaine, and strawberries.
The Salinas River breached its levee in several areas of the Salinas Valley on Sunday, March 12. Previously planted crops projected for harvest from mid-April to mid-May, could experience significant yield losses. Plantings that were scheduled from late last week through this week must be postponed due to the oversaturated conditions.
Monterey County records show the Salinas Valley has roughly 450,000 acres for planting vegetables. Salinas Valley accounts for roughly 80% of the nation’s vegetable production from April to early July. Delayed plantings and crops lost to flooding will ultimately lead to product shortages and high prices in the spring and into the summer months.
Markon will continue to monitor the situation and provide regular updates as new information becomes available. Please contact your Markon account manager for further information.
