Iceberg lettuce prices up to £17/dozen on wholesale markets can be expected to remain high for at least another week, believe major suppliers. Poor planting conditions have delayed the English crop and resulted in prices more than double last year's. Spain, the major source of supply, is fast coming to a close. To try and bridge the gap Iceberg has even been flown in from Florida and California. British growers have seen the problem coming over the last month because of the protracted winter. Some with cultivation land in Spain have even exported young plants there. Demand for round lettuce grown under cover has also boomed, benefiting the limited UK production and creating greater interest in French speciality alternatives such as oakleaf lettuce (850p-950p/dozen and lollo rosso (650p/750p/dozen). David Hoyles, salad account manager for G's Marketing, the sales arm of one of the largest English Iceberg growers, said: "We think prices have peaked but there will be no real UK volume for another fortnight." Early harvesting yields are down and there have been some quality problems due to the weather. Demand escalated last weekend because of the first summer snap. {{NEWS }}

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