HDR1012000140060116981500VEGETABLES
National
Agricultural
Statistics
Service
USDA
Washington, D.C.
Released January 16, 1998, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For
information on "Vegetables" call David Mueller at (202) 785-0919, office hours
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.
Fresh Vegetable Acreage Down 1 Percent
Spring Onion Acreage Off 4 Percent
Winter Strawberry Acreage Up 2 Percent
The prospective area for harvest of 13 selected fresh market vegetables during
the winter quarter is forecast at 188,100 acres. This is 1 percent less than
last year and 5 percent less than in 1996. Acreage declines in carrots,
eggplant, head lettuce, and bell peppers more than offset acreage increases in
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, sweet corn, escarole/endive, spinach,
and tomatoes. Head lettuce, carrots, and bell peppers showed the largest
acreage decreases, while sweet corn, broccoli, and tomatoes had the largest
acreage increases.
Acres planted for spring onions, at 36,500 acres was down 4 percent from 1997
and 11 percent less than in 1996. Acreage declined in all states but Arizona.
Florida's winter strawberry acreage is estimated at 6,200 acres, up 2 percent
from last year and 3 percent more than in 1996.
Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons: Annual Area for Harvest
by Season, Major States, 1996-1998
(Domestic Units)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Area
Crop :--------------------------------------------------------
and : Harvested : For
Season :-------------------------------------: Harvest
: 1996 : 1997 : 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Acres
:
Snap Beans : 10,000 10,000 10,000
Broccoli 1/ : 29,000 30,000 31,000
Cabbage : 13,500 10,300 12,000
Carrots : 28,700 30,000 26,700
Cauliflower 1/ : 8,500 9,500 9,800
Celery 1/ : 6,400 6,900 7,800
Sweet Corn : 5,800 4,300 6,500
Eggplant : 600 700 600
Escarole/Endive : 850 600 800
Head Lettuce : 73,500 68,800 63,500
Bell Pepper 1/ : 6,000 4,800 4,200
Spinach : 2,800 2,400 3,300
Tomatoes : 11,700 11,000 11,900
:
Total Winter Crop : 197,350 189,300 188,100
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Includes fresh market and processing.
Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons: Annual Area for Harvest
by Season, Major States, 1996-1998
(Metric Units)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Area
Crop :--------------------------------------------------------
and : Harvested : For
Season :-------------------------------------: Harvest
: 1996 : 1997 : 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Hectares
:
Snap Beans : 4,050 4,050 4,050
Broccoli 1/ : 11,740 12,140 12,550
Cabbage : 5,460 4,170 4,860
Carrots : 11,610 12,140 10,810
Cauliflower 1/ : 3,440 3,840 3,970
Celery 1/ : 2,590 2,790 3,160
Sweet Corn : 2,350 1,740 2,630
Eggplant : 240 280 240
Escarole/Endive : 340 240 320
Head Lettuce : 29,740 27,840 25,700
Bell Pepper 1/ : 2,430 1,940 1,700
Spinach : 1,130 970 1,340
Tomatoes : 4,730 4,450 4,820
:
Total Winter Crop : 79,850 76,590 76,150
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Includes fresh market and processing.
Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons: Annual Area for Harvest
by Crop, State, and Total, Winter Season, 1996-98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : Area :
Crop : Usual :-----------------------------------: 1998
and : Harvest : Harvested : For : as Percent
State : Period :-----------------------: Harvest : of 1997
: : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 :
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : ------------ Acres ----------- Percent
: :
Snap Beans : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 10,000 10,000 10,000 100
: :
Broccoli 1/ : :
CA : Jan-Mar : 29,000 30,000 31,000 103
: :
Cabbage : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 5,000 4,000 5,500 138
TX : Jan-Mar : 8,500 6,300 6,500 103
Total : : 13,500 10,300 12,000 117
: :
Carrots : :
CA : Jan-Mar : 21,500 23,000 18,200 79
FL : Nov-Mar : 3,800 4,600 5,000 109
TX : Dec-Mar : 3,400 2,400 3,500 146
Total : : 28,700 30,000 26,700 89
: :
Cauliflower 1/ : :
CA : Jan-Mar : 8,500 9,500 9,800 103
: :
Celery 1/ : :
CA : Jan-Mar : 6,400 6,900 7,800 113
: :
Sweet Corn : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 5,800 4,300 6,500 151
: :
Eggplant : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 600 700 600 86
: :
Escarole/Endive : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 850 600 800 133
: :
Head Lettuce : :
AZ - Western : Nov-Apr : 57,000 51,800 46,000 89
CA : Jan-Apr : 16,500 17,000 17,500 103
Total : : 73,500 68,800 63,500 92
: :
Bell Pepper 1/ : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 6,000 4,800 4,200 88
: :
Spinach : :
TX : Jan-Mar : 2,800 2,400 3,300 138
: :
Tomatoes : :
FL : Jan-Mar : 11,700 11,000 11,900 108
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Includes fresh market and processing.
2/ Estimate discontinued.
Onions and Strawberries for Fresh Market: Area Planted
and Harvested by Crop, Season, and Total, 1996-98
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crop, : Planted Area : Harvested Area
Season, :---------------------------------------------------------------
and : : : : : : For Harvest
State : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 : 1996 : 1997 : 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Acres
:
Onions 1/ :
Spring :
AZ 2/ : 2,100 2,100 2,200 1,900 2,100
CA 2/ : 7,500 7,400 8,300 7,200 7,200
GA : 16,000 16,200 14,500 14,700 15,800 14,000
TX : 15,300 12,400 11,500 13,000 8,100 10,800
Total : 40,900 38,100 36,500 36,800 33,200 24,800
:
Strawberries 3/ :
Winter :
FL : 6,000 6,100 6,200 6,000 6,100 6,200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/ Primarily fresh market.
2/ 1998 - harvested acreage published April 9, 1998.
3/ Includes fresh market and processing.
Snap beans: Florida acreage for harvest is forecast at 10,000 acres, unchanged
from last year and two years ago. Planting and harvest are active. Producers
reported that the crop is in good to excellent condition, and bean quality is
good.
Broccoli: California acreage is estimated at 31,000, 3 percent more than last
year and 7 percent greater than 1996. According to producers, the crop was in
good condition with very few problems experienced.
Cabbage: Winter acreage for harvest is estimated at 12,000 acres, 17 percent
more than last year but 11 percent below the 1996 level. Planting and harvest
were active in all areas of Florida when field conditions permitted. Record
rainfall in December flooded some fields. The cabbage crop is in fair to good
condition in most areas.
Carrots: Acreage for harvest is forecast at 26,700 acres, down 11 percent from
last year and 7 percent less than in 1996. In California, producers reported
to that the crop was in good condition with sizing about normal for this
period. Very few problems were reported. Baby carrots remain in high demand.
Florida producers around Lake Apopka were planting by early September. Normal
to above normal temperatures for most of October accelerated growth. Heavy
rains in late October, and several storms during November and December
interrupted some fieldwork but caused no significant damage.
Cauliflower: California acreage is forecast at 9,800 acres up 3 percent from
1997 and 15 percent above 1996. Producers reported that the crop was in
good condition.
Celery: The winter celery crop acreage for harvest in California is estimated
to be at 7,800 acres, 13 percent above 1997 and 22 percent above the 1996 crop.
Rainfall and cool weather caused some fieldwork delays in southern California.
Sweet corn: Florida harvested acreage is estimated at 6,500 acres, up 51 percent
from last year and 12 percent more than in 1996. Winter crop seeding in Dade
County began after mid-October. Planting was active during November in the East
Coast region and in Dade County. In early December, rain flooded some Dade
County fields containing very young plants, but most recovered. Growers along
the southeastern coast started picking after mid-December. Southwestern
producers harvested a limited acreage from late November through late December.
Dade County growers expect to start picking the winter crop around mid-January.
Eggplant: Acreage for winter harvest in Florida, at 600 acres, was 14 percent
less than in 1997 but unchanged from 1996. Weather and growing conditions have
been mostly favorable. Plants are producing good grades. Volume is light at
the current time.
Escarole/endive: The harvested acreage of Florida's winter crop of escarole and
endive is forecast at 800 acres, 33 percent above last year but 6 percent less
than in 1996. Normal to above normal temperatures for most of October
accelerated growth. Significant storms during late October, November, and
December interrupted some fieldwork with quality reduced for a small portion
of production.
Lettuce: Acreage for harvest is forecast at 63,500 acres, 8 percent below last
year and 14 percent below the 1996 total. The crop was in generally good
condition, and no unusual problems were reported by growers.
Onions: Growers intend to plant 36,500 acres of spring onions for 1998, a
decrease of 4 percent from 1997 and 11 percent less than the 1996 acres
planted. California field conditions were excellent across the state
through December. More recently, the crop could use warmer weather and more
sunshine. Wet conditions through November and into early December delayed
onion transplanting in Georgia. By the end of December, transplanting was 90
percent completed, compared to 98 percent last year. Although it is possible
to transplant in January, the crop becomes more susceptible to winter weather
damage.
Bell peppers: Florida winter acreage for harvest is estimated at 4,200 acres, 12
percent less than last year and 30 percent less than two years ago. Although
rainfall during late October and storms in November and December interrupted
some fieldwork, the crop sustained no significant damage.
Spinach: The harvested acres of winter spinach for 1998 is forecast at 3,300
acres in Texas. This is 38 percent above 1997 and 18 percent more acreage
than 1996. Although recent heavy rains limited fieldwork in some areas, the
crop was doing well.
Strawberries: Florida winter acreage is estimated at 6,200 acres, 2 percent more
than last year and 3 percent more than two years ago. Strawberry crop
production has proceeded at the same volume as last season. Harvest started
in December and has had problems due to heavy rains. Many growers planted a
mixture of varieties this year and expected a higher volume at this point of
the season. December rains hurt the expected volume and quality but both are
improving at the current time.
Tomatoes: Florida acreage is forecasted at 11,900 acres, up 8 percent from last
year and 2 percent above 1996. Mostly cooler temperatures during October,
November, and December aided the setting of fruit but slowed fruit sizing in
most southern peninsula fields. Heavy rainstorms reduced the effectiveness of
pesticides with producers actively spraying during clearer weather. Rainfall
during late November and the first half of December delayed some fieldwork.
Dade County growers began picking a small volume from the winter acreage by
early December. Wet fields in mid-December delayed land preparations for
spring crop transplanting in the Palmetto-Ruskin area. East Coast growers were
making first through fourth picks in late December with a steady volume
available.
The next "Vegetables" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on April 9, 1998.
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