| Lettuce
is truly the epitome of all salad vegetables, and its
popularity is firmly established in nearly every cuisine of
the World. It is by far the most widely used salad crop in
North America, and occupies a most enviable place among salad
vegetables consumed in Europe, Australia and South America.
Its popularity is climbing steeply in Japan, the Middle East
and Africa…. Lettuce is grown professionally and by market
gardeners as a modern cultivar in over 70 countries, over
780,000 hectares (1,926,600 acres).
It was not always so. Early pointed leaf types of lettuce
as precious cargo for the journey to the after-life were found
in Ancient Egypt’s sarcophagi dated ca. 4500 B.C, Romans in
the year 1.A.D. reported having some twelve varieties of
lettuce to grow, which were strictly reserved luxuries for the
wealthy, for feast days. The early immense value of the crop
was not only related to the rarity of the seed, but to the
very demanding crop establishment and growing environment
requirements, making the produce equally rare and perilously
difficult to raise, and therefore, exceedingly valuable. |
Some things do change, though not entirely.
Growing lettuce today is of course very different. Quantity
and keen prices have become ‘a given’ in markets where
mass supply is all too common. However, one thing has not
changed. Combining high yields per acre with top quality
marketable produce output remains a major challenge, which
needs careful nurturing, among other ‘helping hands’.
Providing seed technology and enhancements has been our
business for over forty five years. And lettuce is a
particular strong suit of ours…
Let us lend you our helping
hand.
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