Prices for celery from California have been low this past month because there's so much product available. Excellent growing conditions throughout several celery-producing regions has led to a glut of product, which is responsible for the current low market.
“More people put out celery this year in bigger blocks,” said Growers Express' Bill Marshall, explaining why there's so much product available. “Growing conditions also helped with production – there was no freeze or rain, so you have good production coming from Salinas, Watsonville and Santa Maria.” California shippers also have to compete with supplies coming from Michigan and Quebec. With so much available, prices have suffered.
On August 9, prices for a two-dozen carton of celery coming from Salinas and Watsonville were between $6.45 and $9.45, and prices for a carton from Santa Maria were between $5.00 and $7.95. By comparison, Marshall says it's not unusual to get up to $11.00 per carton during this time of year. He's seen current prices for about the last month, and he doesn't think they will budge much in the near future.
“Sooner or later, Michigan will have less celery or one of the regions here will have less available,” he said. “But with perfect growing conditions and high yields, I don't see prices improving soon.”
