US(CA): Steady supply of chard from California

With Salinas, Santa Maria, Oxnard and Modesto all growing chard, supplies of the commodity are stabl…

With Salinas, Santa Maria, Oxnard and Modesto all growing chard, supplies of the commodity are stable at the moment. The transition to desert regions could cause supply issues, but there is nothing else on the horizon that could affect production.

“Volumes of chard are strong for both conventional and organic varieties,” said Geoffrey Ratto of Ratto Bros. “Prices are about $10.00 to $12.00 for a carton of 12-count and about $16.00 to $18.00 for a two-dozen carton.” Though there's been rain this week, Ratto doesn't expect there to be any production issues because chard is a resilient item.

“The transition to the desert can affect production, but there's nothing to suggest that supplies will be tight in the coming weeks,” said Ratto. “Demand is standard, so the market will be steady.”