More supermarkets in Japan are stacking up lettuce, and prices are still low for now. But this may be an early warning that prices will rise soon. Farmers are rushing to ship lettuce before heat damage gets worse.
In Nagano, lettuce is being sold for as low as 54 to 160 yen (about 35 cents to $1), but the heads are getting smaller—about the size of a palm. This is because farmers are harvesting early due to extreme heat.
In Tokyo’s lettuce fields, many lettuces are turning yellow, drying out, or even completely shriveling. The ground temperature has gone over 40°C (104°F), and underground it's over 37°C (99°F). Lettuce usually can’t handle temperatures above 30°C (86°F).
Daikon radishes are also being damaged. Some have large holes inside and are drying out and getting tough.
So far, 20% of the lettuce and 50% of the daikon crops have been hit by heat damage. Because of this, prices may go up. A supermarket produce manager said lettuce could reach up to 200 yen (about $1.30) soon.
by MagazineKey4532