Fr Nt 4 (8-03) Cranberries National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released August 19, 2003, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Cranberries" call Terry P. O'Connor at (202) 720-4288, office hours 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. 2003 Cranberry Production Up 3 Percent The forecast for the 2003 cranberry crop is 5.83 million barrels, up 3 percent from 2002 and 9 percent above 2001. Wisconsin is the only State forecasting a decrease in production from a year ago. Production in Wisconsin is forecast at 3.05 million barrels, 5 percent below 2002 but 7 percent above 2001. Cranberry farmers in Wisconsin report having an average growing season with a good berry set. Rainfall has been mostly adequate, with some areas a little dry and in need of additional rain before harvest. Some winter damage was reported in northern and central areas of the State. Crop maturity is about 1 week behind normal. The Massachusetts crop is forecast at 1.70 million barrels, up 17 percent from 2002 and 20 percent above 2001. Many Massachusetts growers took advantage of the long, cold winter to sand their bogs. The wet, cool spring allowed bogs to recover from last year's drought but crop maturity has been somewhat delayed. New Jersey expects a crop of 470,000 barrels, up 9 percent from 2002 but 17 percent below 2001. Growers reported bloom, fruit set, and fruit size to be mostly average. No significant weather damage was reported. In Oregon, the crop is forecast at 440,000 barrels, 2 percent above last year's crop and up 21 percent from 2001. Weather conditions have been favorable for cranberry production. A cold, wet spring prolonged bloom but warm summer temperatures have helped fruit set and sizing. The Washington crop is forecast at 170,000 barrels, 5 percent above last year and 20 percent above 2001. Conditions for cranberry production in Washington have been very good this season. A mild winter followed by a wet spring and warm summer provided excellent bloom conditions. Many old vines have slowly been replaced with higher yielding vines as producers manage their bogs more intensively. The cranberry industry has not had a restrictive marketing order in effect since the 2001 growing season. Under that order, growers could only sell 65 percent of their historic average sales to the processors. These restrictions applied to all five of the major cranberry producing States. The lack of marketing restrictions in 2002 and 2003 led some growers to increase acreage. This increased acreage combined with good growing conditions in most States resulted in the higher cranberry production forecast. Cranberries: Production by State and United States, 2001-2002 and Forecasted 2003 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Total Production State :-------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2001 : 2002 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Barrels : MA : 1,416,000 1,452,000 1,700,000 NJ : 566,000 430,000 470,000 OR : 365,000 432,000 440,000 WA : 142,000 162,000 170,000 WI : 2,840,000 3,208,000 3,050,000 : US : 5,329,000 5,684,000 5,830,000 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ A barrel weighs 100 lbs. The next "Cranberries" report will be released in August, 2004. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. 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