AGRICULTURE

Supply and Demand: Strawberries, which grossed $34 million for Orange County’s growers in 1990, have been selling at slightly lower prices than usual for this time of year. Last week, the berries were selling at $10 to $12 per flat. But growers say rain damage in other growing areas may boost prices by limiting supply. And Valentine’s Day should boost demand, if only temporarily.

“Orange County’s main competition (for strawberry production) is Oxnard, and it sounds like they’re getting more rain,” said Matthew Kawamura of Western Marketing, a cooperative that farms about 220 acres of strawberries throughout the county. Oxnard received almost six inches of rain Monday.

Farm workers began harvesting berries early Wednesday morning to save them from rain damage, Kawamura said, but they had to quit about 11 a.m. when the rains got too heavy. With two or three more days of rain predicted, growers are expecting a busy weekend. A short supply of berries could boost prices.