fl-crop-weather
State
Florida Crop Weather

Week Ending/Released Dates
Week Ending December 31, 2000
Released 4:00 P.M. January 2, 2001

Report Code
FL-WE53

Weather Summary
Several Peninsula localities experienced near freezing temperatures during
the week of December 24 through 30. Immokalee recorded a low of about 36
degrees on at least one day while Homestead recorded at least one low at 44
degrees. Ft. Pierce reported at least one low at 37. Lows for the week
averaged in the 30s at Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Tallahassee; in the 40s
at Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa; and in the 60s at Miami and West Palm
Beach. Highs averaged in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Rainfall ranged from about
a quarter inch to an inch and a half with nearly all areas receiving some
precipitation. However, drought conditions still exist in several
localities. Temperatures plunged to below freezing on New Year's Eve and
New Year's Day with Immokalee recording lows at 31 and 26, respectively.
Homestead reported lows at about 36 degrees for December 31 and January 1;
Hastings, 25 and 24, respectively; Pierson, 25 and 23; Bradenton, 30 and
26; Ona, 28 and 26; Ft. Pierce, about 30 on both days; and Dover, 27 and
28. The Everglades region experienced pockets of cold reportedly at 24 to
28 degrees. Lake Placid temperatures fell into the low 20s.

Field Crops Report
Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate in the Panhan dle. Throughout the
Peninsula it is very short to short with scattered areas of adequate
moisture. Freezing temperatures in the north are slowing the growth of
temporary pasture and small grains. The Peninsula winter pastures are under
drought stress. Sugarcane harvest is making good progress. Sugarcane was
damaged by freezing temperatures on December 31 and January 1. The extent
of the damage is not known at this time.

Soil Moisture Chart

     Moisture              Topsoil                      Subsoil
     Rating        Last week     This week     Last week      This week

                                         Percent
 Very short                25             19            23             27
 Short                     58             61            69             64
 Adequate                  17             20             8              9
 Surplus                    0              0             0              0

Livestock Report
Statewide, the pasture condition is very poor to fair and cattle condition
is mostly fair. In the Panhan dle, winter forage is poor due to cold and
frost. Ranchers are feeding hay where available. Hay supplies are being
depleted. Cold and frost are stressing forage and cattle. Ponds and lakes
are dry. In the north counties, the permanent pasture condition is poor due
to drought, cold and frost. The cool season forage condition is fair. In
the central area, available forage is limited and the condition is poor. In
the west central counties, the pasture condition is poor to fair. The
pasture has been hurt by hard freeze. In the southwest area, the pasture
condition is poor to fair due to drought. Tropical soda apple has decreased
the pasture condition. Water supplies are still very low.

Livestock Condition Chart
                           Range                        Cattle
   Condition
                  Last week      This week     Last week      This week
                                         Percent
 Very poor                 15             10             0              0
 Poor                      55             55            15              5
 Fair                      25             35            75             85
 Good                       5              0            10             10
 Excellent                  0              0             0              0

Fruit Report
CITRUS: The much needed rains finally arrived on Thursday, December 28. All
areas of the citrus belt received varying amounts of the daylong soaking.
However, most groves got less than one inch. It will take a lot more rain
to break the current drought. Freezing temperatures the morning of December
31, were generally in the upper 20s in the coldest areas. Normal cold
locations had a few readings below the 28 degree mark, but most of the
fruit in those areas had already been harvested before the cold arrived.
Generally, tempera tures were not low enough to cause significant damage to
trees and the remaining crops. Harvesting crews were very active all week
moving early and midseason oranges to the processors. Most of the larger
juice plants are running around the clock and a few started limiting the
loads delivered by the field crews. Most fresh fruit packing houses are now
very busy following their Christmas break.
    Caretakers are still cutting cover crops prior to harvesting for fire
protection. Hedging and topping continue in some coastal and southern
harvested groves. Burning permits are being limited due to the current
drought conditions. Some resets are being planted in the warmer locations.

                   Estimated boxes harvested week ended
              Crop                 Dec 17         Dec 24        Dec 31

 Navel oranges                        413,000       227,000        69,000
 Early & Mid oranges
   Including Ambersweet             7,074,000     7,343,000     6,118,000
 All grapefruit                       903,000       982,000       545,000
 Tangerines                           266,000       242,000       124,000
 Honey Tangerines                       3,000         5,000        17,000
 Tangelos                             148,000        92,000       101,000

Vegetable Report
Crops around Immokalee and in the Everglades suffered significant damage
from the cold temperatures. Strong winds that accompanied the cold tossed
crops in nearly all southern Peninsula regions. Most East Coast growers
used freeze covers to protect some acreage from the low temperatures. Plant
City and Floral City strawberry growers continued using overhead irrigation
as protection for the cold temperatures. The expected volume of vegetables
available over the next few weeks is down significantly due to freeze loss.
Vegetables available include snap beans, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, sweet
corn, peppers, cucumbers, endive, escarole, lettuce, and radishes.

SNAP BEANS: Dade--Strong winds caused some leaf burn with recovery
expected. Some growers ran irrigation to protect acreage from the cold.
Planting and harvesting were active prior to the holiday. Southwest--Strong
winds and cold temperatures caused some damage to the tops of plants with
recovery expected. Planting and harvesting continued prior to the holiday.
East Coast--Cold temperatures continue to slow plant growth and bean
development. West Central-- Harvesting is finished. Everglades--Acreage was
significantly damaged by the cold.

CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage harvest should start next week. Quality looks good
and yields should be normal. Growers are expecting a good supply for the
rest of winter as weekly plantings are cut. West Central--Crop condition is
fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal.
Harvest is starting. Hastings--Growers are actively planting cabbage. Crop
is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Growers are
actively harvesting cabbage. Zellwood--Harvest is active. The crop is in
good condition.

SWEET CORN: Dade--The cold caused very little damage to the crop. Picking
started with good quality available. Supply is light but is expected to
increase over the next ten to fourteen days. Everglades-- Producers expect
heavy losses in older fields due to the cold tempera- tures. Young plants
will recover. Growers are replanting for spring crop harvest. East
Coast--The crop came through the cold with very little damage.

CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: This report does not include information on any
damage that may have occurred on December 31 and January 1 from the
freezing temperatures. West Central--Harvest is complete for the fall
season. East Coast--Crop is in fair condition. Strong winds, accompanying
cool temperatures slowed plant growth and fruit development. Pollination is
slowed. Some vine damage and plants are showing dehydration. Harvested
volume is moderate. Picking supper selects, selects, and cartons. Quality
and collar are good. Limited acreage is protected by freeze covers.
Southwest-- Planting is light. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and
develop ment are slow. Harvest is steady and fruit quality and sizes are
fair to good.

PICKLES: West Central--Harvest is complete. Zellwood--Harvest is complete.
Dade--Pickles look good. Pickles harvested are of good quality and yield.

EGGPLANT: Southwest--Damages from the cold are currently being assessed.
East Coast--Producers put freeze covers over some acreage for protection.
Growers cut a very light volume prior to the holiday. Quality and color
were good with fancy grades available. Dade-- Strong winds scarred some
fruit. However, cold temperatures caused no significant damage. Cutting
continued prior to the holiday with good quality available.

ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Strong winds and cold temperatures
significantly affected plants. Growers are salvage harvesting. Quality is
down.

LETTUCE: Everglades, Lake Placid--Strong winds and cold temperatures
significantly affected plants. Producers are making salvage harvests with
quality reduced.

OKRA: Dade--The cold temperatures significantly affected the quality of the
crop. Recovery is expected over the next ten days to two weeks. Producers
finished harvesting most acreage with only a limited acreage currently
producing.

BELL PEPPERS: Southwest--The cold temperatures caused leaf burn on the tops
of plants. Recovery is expected. Planting and picking continued prior to
the holiday. East Coast--Growers used freeze covers on most acreage to
protect the crop from the cold. Planting and picking were active before the
holiday. West Central--Picking is done.

HOT PEPPERS: Southwest--Damage from the cold temperatures is currently
being assessed. Planting and harvesting continued before the holiday. East
Coast--Picking of a light volume continued prior to the holiday.

POTATOES: Southwest--Strong winds tossed tops of plants with some damage
reported. Planting is winding down. West Central--Crop damage from the cold
temperatures and strong winds is currently being assessed. Planting is
nearing the end.

RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Young plants suffered heavy damage from
the cold. Damage to tops in older fields is causing harvesting problems.
Producers are replanting for February harvest ing. Digging continued prior
to the holiday.

SQUASH: Dade--Strong winds burned the tops of plants with recovery
expected. Planting and picking were active before the holiday.
Southwest--The cold weather destroyed most acreage. Planting and harvesting
continued prior to the holiday. East Coast-- Harvesting of a light volume
was active prior to the holiday. Wind and cold temperature damage is
currently being assessed.

STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Floral City--Producers continued overhead
irrigation to protect plants and immature fruit from the cold. Water and
cold caused some fruit loss. Volume is limited for the next week but is
expected to start increasing seasonally when warmer weather returns.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Cold weather is slowing the ripening of berries. Damage
from the cold is currently being assessed. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is slow.
Quality is good. Cold temperatures are slowing fruit maturation.

TOMATOES: Dade--The cold weather caused very little damage to the crop.
Planting is active. Harvesting is slowly increasing. Quality is good.
Southwest--The cold temperatures burned the tops of plants. Some fruit was
frozen solid. Actual loss is currently being assessed. East Coast--Strong
winds and cold temperatures caused some light foliage burns. Plant growth
and fruit development are slow due to the cool weather. Transplanting
slowed. Harvesting of a moderate volume was active before the holiday.
Quality was good. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Picking is virtually over. Planting of
spring acreage is expected to start over the next two weeks.

CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Damage from the cold is currently being
assessed. Planting and harvesting continued prior to the holiday.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvesting is virtually finished.

PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Damage from the cold weather is currently being
assessed. Planting and picking were active before the holiday.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking is virtually done.

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