Tall Fescue Turfgrass Seed
Low Midwest Seed Crop Means Higher Oregon Seed Prices
Posted in General by Curtis Williams
There is considerable consternation over the price disparity in the rather small Midwest Kentucky 31 crop and Oregon’s rather large Turf Type Tall Fescue crop.
With the first Turf Type Tall Fescue crops in the early 1980’s, the price was always driven lower by too much Kentucky 31 which at the time was an 80-100 million pound crop. Now, it has reversed itself, and too little Kentucky 31 has created a vast need for “vns” Tall Fescue from Oregon. Now the minuscule Missouri crop which is a favorite ingredient in consumer product mixes, is of the smallest on record, is driving the Oregon price higher.
There is a fear that if the Oregon turf type crop is priced wrong, the temptation to get more money for it as “vns” which can be shipped to the Midwest for “blending”. It is such a concern, that the Oregon Seed industry has notified the Missouri crop Association of their concerns. In any event, it means upward price pressure on all Tall Fescue in the short term.