SALINAS, Calif. -- Despite tough times the local agriculture industry has seen lately, prices received for the celery crop are on the rise because of low availability.

The price for a box of celery is now at $36, the highest it has ever been.

Last year, a box would bring about $7.

Growers said the price is surging because less celery is on the market following the recent hard freeze and a decrease in the number of farmers growing it.

John Baillie of Baillie Farms said of all the major commodities, celery is "doing real well."

The down side is that the higher price is being passed along to consumers. The average price for a stalk of celery has gone up more than 10 percent in the past six months, officials said.