LOCAL CONSUMERS FACE HIGHER LETTUCE PRICES

Rains in California have left the lettuce crops there severely damaged, and now area consumers are feeling the pain in their wallets.

Lettuce prices are up, way up, due to harsh rains in California, where between 80 and 90 percent of the country's lettuce is grown.

In some cases, the crops were literally destroyed.

This is hurting people everywhere.

Locally, Frank Stinnett, who has been in the produce business 18 years, has never seen lettuce prices so high.

A head of lettuce, normally $1 a head, is almost twice that.

Lettuce by the case is higher still.

Stinnett, who owns Stinnett Produce Inc. at 18 N. Frederick, usually pays $7 or $8 for a case of 24 heads of lettuce; lately, he has paid $46.50.

"It's worse on the East Coast," Stinnett said. "I hear in New York they're paying as much as $5 a head."

The higher prices haven't really stopped people from buying lettuce from him, though.

"People just sort of grin and bear it," he said.

Jerry Klaffer of Kelso is one of the grinners and bearers.

"I understand it, with all the problems they've had out there," he said, but "we still have to buy it. It's just the way things go."

Everyone's not taking the higher prices with a grain of salt, however. Some people are refusing to buy it.

Several area grocery stores have reported fewer heads of lettuce being sold.

"People are definitely buying less lettuce," said Tom Crites, a produce worker at Town and Country Supermarket in Jackson. "It's really been hovering well over the dollar mark; it's not selling as well."

Grocery stores aren't the only ones hurting, though.

Bob Hoppmann, manager of the Pasta House in Cape Girardeau, said the whole situation is ugly, especially for the restaurant business.

Hoppmann, who purchases the Pasta House lettuce from Stinnett, is taking a huge loss because of the higher-priced lettuce.

"Four months ago, we spent $500 a week on lettuce," Hoppmann said. "This week, we spent $2,000. We're taking a pretty hard hit on it. Every restaurant in town must be hurting."

David Jordan, owner of El Chico, said he simply sees it as just another part of the restaurant business.

"Last year it was tomatoes, next year it'll be something else," he said. "You can't let it affect your customers; they don't want to hear excuses."

Stinnett doesn't think prices will stay this high much longer, however.

"You just have to wait it out," he said. "It'll go on for another 30 days. Then it'll straighten itself out."