Mother Nature moves in, produce prices double

Reporter: Kevin Keen

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - It’s a sight that puts a chill down a farmer's spine: produce -- still growing in the ground -- trying to survive freezing temperatures. Mother Nature’s unusually frosted fury struck farm fields in Southern Arizona earlier this month, and ag experts say shoppers will be paying for it at grocery stores for weeks to come.

“It really hit and devastated a lot of the growing regions not only here in Arizona but also California," explained Todd Stadtlander, produce manager at Conspiracy Food Co-op in Tucson.

The record-breaking, weeks-long cold snap froze the Yuma area, killing and damaging tens of thousands of acres of iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, broccoli and other leafy greens, according to industry experts. Demand for that produce remains but supply is now low so prices have risen.

“I knew we were going to have an increase,” Stadtlander said. “What did catch me by surprise was how much it increased. Broccoli, cauliflower and celery, especially, more than doubled in price overnight.”

The organic broccoli and cauliflower at the co-op sells for $3.99 a pound. The higher prices go beyond the specialty co-op, though.

A carton of lettuce (which contains 24 heads) from Yuma, according to the University of Arizona Yuma office, jumped from $8 last month to $22 Monday. That's an increase of 175 percent.

A carton of broccoli (which contains 12 stems) sold in December for $12-15, according to the university, and now sells for $30. That’s an increase of 100-150 percent.

Rob Johnson of Bashas’ Grocery Stores explained farmers in the Yuma area, Imperial Valley and Coachella Valley were hit hard. But there's hope.

“Going forward, there will be some relief,” Johnson said over the phone. “The temperatures have warmed up. Crops that weren't growing will start going. There'll be some harvest. Then, as we move on into February and March, we'll see the growing regions in California move northward -- up the coast.”

Many local grocers and ag experts expect supplies and prices to return to normal in two to three weeks.