Week ending January 26, 1997
                             Released 4:00 P.M.
                                                           January 27, 1997
WEATHER SUMMARY: Freezing temperatures at the start of the week of January
19 through 25 harmed crops to varying degrees in all areas. Lows were in
the 'teens, twenties, and thirties. Lows in Dade County were in the upper
20s to low 30s; Palmetto- Ruskin, upper 'teens to mid-20s; and Zellwood,
'teens to upper 20s. Some Everglades localities reportedly recorded
temperatures below freezing for eleven hours. These low temperatures
brought heavy frost to the Palmetto-Ruskin, Immokalee, and Dade County
areas. Temperatures for the rest of the week climbed to more seasonable
levels with weekly highs mostly in the 60s and 70s. For the week,
temperatures averaged mostly one to six degrees below normal. Rainfall for
the week totaled from none at several stations to over two inches with
western Panhandle and the northern half of the state reporting most of this
precipitation. The passage of a cold front on January 25 and 26 brought
significant showers to many localities.
FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is adequate to surplus in the Panhandle and
northern Peninsula with scattered areas of short moisture. The southern
Peninsula moisture is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short.
Topsoil moisture condition as reported from very short to surplus (previous
week's rating in parentheses): very short 1% (1%), short 53% (24%),
adequate 40% (69%), and surplus 6% (6%). Subsoil moisture condition: very
short 1% (2%), short 36% (31%), adequate 59% (64%), and surplus 4% (3%).
Sugarcane harvest is active. The sugarcane crop was damaged by the cold
temperatures on January 19-20. The green canopy in sugarcane fields was
damaged. In some fields the leaves were only scorched and in others the
total top was killed. Mills are adjusting schedules to handle the most
heavily damaged cane first. Growers are preparing fields for spring crops.
Growers are maintaining tobacco plant beds. Pine tree planting is active.
LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of the State's ranges and pastures
was rated from very poor to excellent (previ ous week's rating in
parentheses): very poor 15% (5%), poor 40% (25%), fair 40% (35%), good 5%
(35%), and excellent 0% (0%). Pastures are showing the effect of the
January freeze. Small grains for forage in the central area generally doing
well through some areas need rain. Cool seasonal temperatures are holding
back forage growth. Some ranchers in the southwest are starting to burn the
permanent pastures. Cattlemen are feeding hay and supple ments. The State's
cattle herds were rated at poor 10% (0%), fair 65% (60%), good 25% (40%),
and excellent 0% (0%).
CITRUS: Damage from freezing temperatures January 19 is variable depending
on location, tree condition, stage of growth and moisture levels at the
time of the freeze. There will be some defoliation in some areas.
Harvesting crews are moving damaged early maturing crops to the processing
plants. Most of the grapefruit on the east coast was not exposed to
temperatures low enough long enough to cause damage. Fresh fruit packing
houses have sufficient fruit to meet current commitments.
    Caretakers are discing and cutting in dead cover crops for fire
prevention. Hedging and topping were active in some areas this week.
                    Estimated boxes harvested week ended
             Crop                 Jan 12        Jan 19         Jan 26
 Navel oranges                      222,000        266,000        180,000
 Early and Mid oranges            9,352,000     11,053,000      7,308,000
 Valencia oranges                         0          9,000         19,000
 All grapefruit                   1,482,000      1,624,000      1,222,000
 Tangerines                         328,000        361,000        185,000
 Temples                             78,000        124,000         98,000
 Tangelos                           375,000        402,000        250,000
VEGETABLES: Warmer conditions during most of the week helped some fields,
mainly younger acreage, recover from the freezing temperatures of early
week. Producers are salvaging marketable fruit from fields hurt
significantly by the freeze with only a low volume of some crops available
for the next few weeks. Vegetables available: beans, cabbage, carrots,
celery, Chinese cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole,
lettuce, parsley, peppers, radishes, squash, strawberries, tomatoes.
SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Some young acreage is recovering from the
frost with plants now greening up. The cold hurt most older fields with
growers plowing this acreage and replanting. East Coast--Older fields
nearing maturity show top foliage burned by the cold. Younger plants have
some leaves burned but are expected to recover. Warmer temperatures are
boosting germination of recent seedings and growth of plants. Growers are
picking a light volume by machine and hand. Southwest--Growers are
continuing to plant acreage destroyed by the recent freeze.
CABBAGE: Hastings--No visual damage from the January 19-20 freeze. Harvest
steady. Quality good. Planting steady. Crop in good condition. Growth and
development normal. Central-- Light damage from freeze. Harvest active.
West Central--Not much damage from freeze. Harvest steady. Quality fair.
Size fair. Planting virtually complete. Crop in fair to good condition.
Growth and development normal. Dade--Cabbage looks good and weekly harvest
underway. Good quality and average yield. Growth and development good.
CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging active. Growers are reseeding most of the
acreage lost to the freeze. Everglades--Crop condition is mostly good with
most fields recovering well from the cold.
SWEET CORN: Dade--Crop condition is improving. Young fields are recovering
from the frost. Plants at the tassel stage have burnt leaves but ears
escaped major frost damage. Growers are picking a light volume of fair
quality and yield. Planting is finished. Everglades--Producers are starting
to replant young fields destroyed by the freezing temperatures. East
Coast--Some plants near maturity in low lying areas have leaves burned down
to where ears develop. Some germination of recent plantings was slowed by
recent heavy rains and the cold temperatures. Producers are picking a light
volume. Spring crop planting is continuing.
CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Most acreage escaped significant damage due to
growers using crop covers. Plants not protected show cold damage.
Harvesting of a light volume is yielding super select, select, and plain
grades, and 24 count boxes. Growers are continuing scheduled spring crop
planting. Southwest--A small acreage was protected from the freeze by crop
covers. Dade--A small acreage of pickles is recovering from the frost.
Producers may start replanting other fields lost to the cold in about a
week or more.
EGGPLANT: East Coast--Older plants are showing some foliage burn with the
warmer temperatures aiding crop recovery. Most acreage was not
significantly harmed by the recent cold. Growers continued cutting fancy
and medium grades of mostly good quality and color. Dade--Young fields are
recovering from the cold. Oldest plants suffered heavy damage from the
frost. Quality and volume will be poor for fruit being picked over the next
few weeks. Production is expected to increase in about a month.
ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Supplies are light as plants recover from the
cold.
LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting of a light volume is active as plants
recover from the recent freezing temperatures.
OKRA: Dade--The frost damaged most acreage beyond salva tion. Producers may
start replanting in late February or early March.
PEPPERS: Southwest--Warmer temperatures are aiding growth and development
of plants not significantly hurt by the freeze. Planting is active.
Harvesting of a reduced volume continues. East Coast--Most acreage was not
significantly affected by the recent cool temperatures. The tops of some
older plants show cold burn. Producers are making spot resets of young
plants killed by the cold with only a limited acreage affected. Harvesting
of green and red Bells and some specialty types is continuing. Quality and
sizes are very good. Scheduled planting is active. Palmetto-Ruskin,
Lithia-- The crop is in poor to fair condition. Some young acreage is
recovering slowly from the recent cold. Growers are replanting some fields
killed by the freeze and continuing to make scheduled spring crop
plantings.
POTATOES: Southwest--Cold temperatures of January 19-20 killed plants in
most fields but most of the fields will be harvested. Harvest is starting.
Dade--Potatoes are looking fair with some fields showing slight vine burn
from frost last weekend. Rain Tuesday, January 14 caused some damage. The
first harvest should start in early February. West Central--The growers
were able to cover most of the plants thus only minor damage to potato
crop. Growth and development normal. Hastings--Damage to the fields at
Federal Point where the plants were too large to cover. Planting was
active.
RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging of a freeze-reduced acreage is
active.
SQUASH: Southwest--Youngest acreage is in good condition with warmer
weather boosting growth. East Coast--Oldest fields nearing harvest
completion were damaged the most by the cold temperatures. Some other
fields show leaf damage on the top of plants. Younger plants are recovering
well. Cutting of a light volume is active with fancy and medium grades of
mostly good quality and color available. Planting is active. Dade--Growers
are irrigating some young acreage to aid recovery from the recent cold.
Growers are replanting some of the oldest acreage that was lost to the
freezing temperatures. Volume will be very low for the next six
weeks. Lithia--Growers are replanting some fields killed by the frost.
STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Plants were not hurt significantly by the freeze
due to growers sprinkling fields. However, the application of water reduced
the volume of marketable berries. Harvesting is light with volume expected
to increase in about two to three weeks. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is
fair. Picking is steady with fair quality, sizes, and color available. Some
plants show a little damage from the recent cold but are expected to
recover. Dade--The U-Pic harvesting is yielding good quality and yield.
TOMATOES: Southwest--Warmer temperatures are aiding crop recovery from the
recent cold weather. Harvesting of a reduced volume is continuing. Planting
remains active. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. The tops and
sides of some older plants show leaf burn while growers are spot resetting
a limited amount of younger plants killed by the recent cold. Picking of a
moderate volume continued with good quality and sizes available. Some fruit
is not meeting grade due to damage caused by Tropical Storm Lili around
mid-October. Dade--Damage from the recent frost was spotty. Some fields
show considerable damage while others were not hurt as much. Increased
bloom loss due to the frost lowered future yield prospects for some
acreage. Picking is active with good quality and sizes available. Packout
is fair. Palmetto-Ruskin- -Crop condition is poor to fair. Producers are
replanting some acreage lost to the recent freeze and making spot resets in
other fields. Most fields lost to the freeze will be replanted. Staking is
underway.
CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is poor to fair. Growers
are replanting acreage lost to the freeze and picking any marketable fruit
left on the vines. Southwest-- Planting active.
PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Planting active. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition
is fair as spring crop planting begins.
WATERMELONS: Southwest--Warmer weather aided the germination of recent
seedings. Planting is active.