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VEGETABLES
SPRING ACREAGE (April, May, June, July)
                                                              April 9, 2001

    Florida Agricultural Statistics Service   |  1222 Woodward Street
               |  Orlando, Florida 32803   |  407 / 648-6013
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                                  FLORIDA

WEATHER: Freezing temperatures dipped down into the southern Peninsula as
the New Year arrived with lowest readings coming on New Year's Eve, New
Year's Day and late in the first week of 2001. Some Homestead and Immokalee
crops not protected by freeze covers or irrigation suffered significant
damage from this freeze. Cool temperatures throughout January slowed plant
growth and fruit development with supplies of many crops significantly
below normal. January temperatures averaged one to six degrees below
normal. January rainfall ranged from a third inch to almost four inches
below normal. Milder conditions during February allowed some acreage to
recover from the freeze damages. February temperatures averaged four to
almost eight degrees above normal while precipitation totals ranged from
two and a half to five and a quarter inches below normal. Storms during
March brought welcomed rains to many Peninsula localities but strong winds
caused some foliage damage with blowing sand scarring some fruit. The March
rain totals ranged from one and a half inches below normal to over seven
inches above. Cloud cover during storms kept March temperatures below
normal for a few days but clear skies during most of the month caused
monthly average temperatures to hover around normal levels. The mostly dry
weather during the first three months of 2001 kept the threat of wild fires
at dangerous levels with drought conditions persisting throughout the
period.

 This report reflects conditions as of April 1 and
 represents acreage for harvest during the spring months of
 April, May, June, and July. Estimated acreage for harvest
 by growing areas is presented in order: area, previous
 year (2000), current year (2001).

SNAP BEANS: The snap bean crop is in mostly good condition. Planting of the
spring crop is virtually complete. Harvest is active in southern areas with
good quality and volume available. (All areas, 15,000, 15,000)

CABBAGE: The cabbage crop is all planted. Harvest is active in the central
and northern areas. Harvest is winding down in the southern areas. The crop
is in fair to good condition. Head quality and size are generally good.
(All areas, 4,000, 5,500)

SWEET CORN: Acreage in the Everglades region suffered heavy damage during
the New Year's freeze with growers replanting plants killed by the cold.
Dade County producers planted corn in some abandoned potato fields during
late January and finished all planting by early February. Southwestern
growers finished planting during early February when Zellwood producers
began planting in the Apopka area. Everglades producers wound down planting
by mid- March when picking of a limited acreage that recovered from the
freeze began. Strong winds around mid-March damaged some leaves in southern
Peninsula localities with plants expected to recover. Cool temperatures at
the end of March slowed crop development in the Zellwood area with
producers expecting spring crop picking to begin during the first week of
May. (Everglades, 20,600, 20,200; Central, 1,500, 1,200; North, 2,050,
1,900; other, 1,650, 2,100; all areas, 25,800, 25,400)

CUCUMBERS: Planting of the spring crop is winding down. Harvesting is
active in the southern areas. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth
and development are normal. The quality of the harvested fruit is fair to
good. (All areas, 4,300, 3,800)

EGGPLANT: Crop condition is fair to mostly good with normal growth and
development. (All areas, 500, 400)

BELL PEPPERS: Growers used freeze covers to protect a lot of acreage from
the New Year's freeze. This freeze caused some leafburn to unprotected
plants while strong winds that followed increased bloom and small fruit
drop. Producers in the West Central area began planting during the last
week of January and finished after mid-March. Southwestern growers
completed planting after mid- February. Cool temperatures during January
and part of March slowed plant growth and fruit maturation. Harvesting in
the Southwest and East Coast areas continued throughout the first three
months of the year with supplies down due to adverse weather. East Coast
producers finished spring crop planting in late March. (Southwest, 2,800,
2,700; Central, 2,650, 3,100; East Coast, 1,050, 1,000; all areas, 6,500,
6,800)

TOMATOES: Temperatures near freezing during the New Year's holiday caused
significant damage to foliage with some fruit frozen in the Immokalee area.
Dade County growers ran overhead sprinklers as protection from this cold
weather. Strong winds accompanying the freeze increased bloom and fruit
drop with winter crop supplies significantly lower than normal. Cool
weather during January and part of March delayed plant growth and fruit
maturation. Strong winds that followed welcomed showers near mid-March in
the Southwest and Palmetto-Ruskin areas, broke some stems and caused some
leaves to fall off plants with blowing sand scarring some fruit. Dade
County producers finished transplanting in late January while growers
around Immokalee finished during late February. Growers in the Quincy area
started planting about mid-March with transplanting ending in the East
Coast and Palmetto-Ruskin regions during late March. In late March,
southern Peninsula producers started to pick acreage planted after the New
Year's freeze. (Palmetto-Ruskin, 7,250, 8,200; Southwest, 1,850, 4,700;
East Coast, 1,450, 1,950; other 2,150, 2,950; all areas, 12,700, 17,800)

WATERMELONS: The crop is in fair to good condition. Recent storms in the
Palmetto-Ruskin area flooded some acreage with the amount of damage
currently being assessed. Planting in northern areas expected to start
shortly. (All areas, 27,000, 24,000)

                               UNITED STATES

  The prospective area for harvest of 13 selected fresh market vegetables
during the spring quarter is forecast at 230,300 acres, up 8 percent from
last year. Acreage increases for broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower,
celery, head lettuce, bell peppers, and tomatoes more than offset decreases
for snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, and eggplant. Acreage for
escarole/endive remained the same. Acreage for spring harvest of 3 selected
melons is forecast at 89,300 acres, down 9 percent from last year.
Cantaloupe, honeydews, and watermelon were down 4, 9, and 12 percent,
respectively.

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    Vegetables for fresh market, prospective acreage for harvest, spring
                                  quarter
                      by States, 2001 with comparisons
                                      Spring acreage           2001 area
    Selected crops      Usual       Harvested         For     for harvest
      and States       harvest                      harvest    as percent
                       period
                                 1999      2000      2001       of 2000

                                           Acres                Percent
 SNAP BEANS:
    Florida            Apr-Jun   14,000    15,000    15,000           100
   Georgia             Apr-Jun    7,000     8,200     7,500            91
   New Jersey          Jun-Jul    1,300     1,300     1,600           123
   South Carolina 1/   May-Aug    1,100        --        --            --
     Total                       23,400    24,500    24,100            98
 CABBAGE:
    Florida            Apr-Jun    1,600     4,000     5,500           138
   Georgia             Apr-Jun    4,200     3,800     4,200           111
   New Jersey          May-Aug      900       900     1,000           111
   Texas               Apr-Jun      800       600     1,000           167
     Total                        7,500     9,300    11,700           126
 SWEET CORN:
    Florida 2/         Apr-Jul   28,000    25,800    25,400            98
   California          Apr-Jun   11,000    11,000    11,000           100
     Total                       39,000    36,800    36,400            99
 CUCUMBERS:
    Florida            Apr-Jun    5,300     4,300     3,800            88
   South Carolina      May-Aug    1,000       900     1,100           122
   Texas               Apr-Jun      600       400       300            75
     Total                        6,900     5,600     5,200            93
 EGGPLANT:
    Florida            Apr-Jun      600       500       400            80
 ESCAROLE/ENDIVE:
    Florida 3/         Apr-Jun      400       300        --            --
   New Jersey 3/       May-Aug      400       400        --            --
     Total                          800       700       700           100
 BELL PEPPERS: 4/
    Florida 2/         Apr-Jul    6,500     6,500     6,800           105
   Texas               Apr-Jun      400       500       400            80
     Total                        6,900     7,000     7,200           103
 TOMATOES:
    Florida 2/         Apr-Jul   12,200    12,700    17,800           140
   Alabama 1/          Jun-Jul      600        --        --            --
   Arkansas 1/         Jun-Aug      750        --        --            --
   California          Apr-Jun    8,000     8,200     7,500            91
   South Carolina      May-Jul    3,600     3,400     3,200            94
   Texas 1/            Apr-Jun    1,600        --        --            --
     Total                       26,750    24,300    28,500           117
 WATERMELON:
    Florida            Apr-Jun   35,000    27,000    24,000            89
   Alabama 1/          Jun-Jul    1,900     6,100     5,900            97
   Arizona             May-Jul    6,100        --        --            --
   California          Apr-Jun    4,200     3,000     3,000           100
   Texas               Apr-Jun   21,000    22,000    18,000            82
     Total                       68,200    58,100    50,900            88
 TOTAL OF CROPS LISTED
    Florida                     103,600    96,100    98,700           103
   United States                180,050   166,800   165,100            99
 TOTAL OF CROPS ESTIMATED
   United States 5/             336,450   312,500   319,600           102
 1/ Seasonal estimate discontinued in 2000. Estimate to be published in
 January 2002 annual.
 2/ 2000 State data revised.
 3/ 2001 State data not published to avoid disclosure.
 4/ Includes fresh market and processing.
 5/ Total of crops listed plus broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery,
 head lettuce, cantaloups, and honeydew melons.

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