Markon Live from the Fields, Low Lettuce Weights, July 25, 2013, Salinas, California

Matt Collins, Markon inspector, reports from Salinas, California on lower-than-normal weights in iceberg lettuce packs. Unseasonably warm temperatures in late June and early July increased plant growth and caused lettuces to mature rapidly while volatile weather over the past two weeks has slowed growth and caused a harvesting gap. Growers have been forced to harvest younger fields ahead of schedule as supplies of most lettuce crops are tightening. Weather is stabilizing and should help to increase case weights by the middle of next week.