At Last, Good News

El Nino. La Nina. Rain and cold, hot and dry. It seems that for the past year all the news in the produce department has been bad.

Finally, there is good news.

Prices for many vegetables--particularly those most popular in early spring--are lower than they’ve been in the past two years.

That’s at wholesale, of course. Retail prices vary depending on supermarket and location and do not always reflect the prices farmers get for goods.

But consider the wholesale prices this week at the Los Angeles Terminal Market:

* Artichokes are about 20% less than they were at this time last year (grocers are paying $20 for a 23-pound case of regular size ‘chokes).

* Asparagus is down more than 12%. A 28-pound case of California asparagus is about $35 wholesale.

* Broccoli and cauliflower are at about the same prices they were last year. Broccoli wholesales for about $5 a 23-pound case and cauliflower is about $8.

* Celery and lettuces are also about the same. Celery is roughly $6 for two dozen bunches and lettuces are $6 to $7 a 22-pound case.

So quit your grousing about there being nothing to eat.