News and Stories

California’s Salinas Valley, along with much of the West Coast, has seen a series of abnormally high and sustained heat spikes over the past two months that have wreaked havoc on vegetable crop yields, as well as quality and shelf-life performance. The graphs below illustrate the heat fluctuations that occurred in August, September, and October. The most recent heatwave occurred over the last week and saw temperatures in the mid-90s to low 100s throughout the Salinas Valley.

Growers and harvesting/processing crews have been taking measures to minimize heat-related issues, but the effects are widespread and not completely avoidable. Plants are stressed and shelf-life potential has been greatly reduced. Better quality is expected once production in the Yuma, Arizona and surrounding desert growing regions ramps up in mid-November. Ordering for quick turns and maintaining the cold chain remains critical for maximizing quality and shelf-life.

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information
 
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