News and Stories

FROM THE FIELDS: DESERT WEATHER & PRODUCT QUALITY

December 14, 2020

Another round of cold mornings with lettuce ice and production delays is expected to befall the Arizona/California desert region on Wednesday, December 16 and Thursday, December 17. Morning temperatures will dip to the low to mid-30s in most areas after cold, gusty winds sweep through on Tuesday, December 15. Temperatures will stay at or just below seasonal norms all week.

Markon inspectors continue to see varying levels of frost-related defects in lettuce items caused by the previous wave of freezing temperatures that took place the first week of December. Commodity and value-added harvesting and processing crews are working to minimize these issues, but they cannot be eliminated completely. The attached pictures are current examples of epidermal peeling in iceberg and romaine lettuce.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.
 
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