- Global lettuce market showed mixed movement in Q1’26 as supply conditions improved in Asia but volatility remained in North America due to crop transitions and weather disruptions.
- Upstream factors such as weather variability, seasonal harvesting cycles and planting shifts directly influenced supply availability across regions.
- Downstream demand remained steady from retail and foodservice segments, though weak consumption in parts of Europe limited upward momentum.
Lettuce prices showed a mixed trend globally in Q1’26, driven mainly by supply-side shifts and seasonal demand patterns. Lettuce prices in Asia showed a mixed-to-soft trend in Q1’26, starting firm due to tighter winter supply and then easing as seasonal harvests improved availability toward the end of the quarter. China, which accounts for 51% of global lettuce production and consumption, saw a stable domestic supply supported by strong internal production and limited reliance on imports, keeping early-quarter availability steady. As the quarter progressed, improved crop arrivals increased market supply, leading to softening conditions, with wholesale vegetable prices declining by 3.1% month on month in mid-March, reflecting easing upstream pressure from better harvest output and logistics normalization.
Meanwhile, in North America, the market remained volatile due to weather-related disruptions and crop transition periods, which tightened supply early in the quarter before conditions improved toward March. Seasonal demand from retail and foodservice continued to support consumption across regions but was insufficient to create sustained upward pressure.
