HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS

Week ending March 23, 1997
                             Released 4:00 P.M.
                                                             March 24, 1997

WEATHER SUMMARY: Dry weather during the first part of the week of March 16
through 22 gave way to scattered showers near the end. Rainfall at the
official weather stations totaled from a quarter inch to about an inch.
Some localities in the Palmetto- Ruskin area received from one to one and a
half inches, while some Dade County localities received at least a half
inch. Winds accompanying these showers caused no significant bloom and
fruit loss nor fruit scarring. Temperatures remained warm with the average
staying two to nine degrees above normal. Some morning lows in northern
areas dipped into the 40s and 50s. Most morning lows were in the 60s and
70s. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s.

FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate through out the State
with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Sugarcane harvest
is complete. Tobacco transplanting is active. Field corn planting is
active. Growers are making preparations to start peanut planting. Ground
preparation for spring planted crops is active.

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

                                         Percent
 Very short                27             2              7              3
 Short                     39            52             47             44
 Adequate                  34            45             46             52
 Surplus                    0             1              0              1

LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture improved in west central, southwest areas
following some very much needed rain. Ranchers are applying spring
fertilizer in central Peninsula counties. Warmer weather in the north
started the growth of the grass. Cattle are in poor to good condition.

                           Range                        Cattle
   Condition
                 Last week      This week     Last week       This week
                                         Percent
 Very poor                 0              0             0               0
 Poor                     25             15             5               5
 Fair                     35             60            45              45
 Good                     40             25            50              50
 Excellent                 0              0             0               0

CITRUS: There was rain in most areas again this week on Thursday and
Friday. Temperatures prior to the rain were in the mid to low 80s which
provided near ideal conditions for bloom progression. Most trees have bloom
of varying degrees, with some young trees already having had complete petal
drop and new crop forming. Those trees hurt by the January 19 cold
generally have new growth with bloom dependent on tree condition. Early and
mid orange harvest is complete, with only some clean-up picking going on.
Valencia growers are generally waiting for better pounds solids before
volume movement. Harvest of all grapefruit is very active in all areas for
both fresh and processing. Temple and Honey tangerine harvest is slowing as
supplies are limited.

    Caretakers are cutting cover crops, hedging, topping, burning dead
trees, spraying and spring-herbiciding.

                    Estimated boxes harvested week ended

             Crop                  Mar 9         Mar 16        Mar 23

 Early and Mid oranges             1,946,000       844,000        207,000
 Valencia oranges                  1,548,000     2,295,000      4,019,000
 All grapefruit                    3,092,000     3,497,000      3,178,000
 Tangerines                          126,000       127,000        106,000
 Temples                             204,000       140,000        133,000

VEGETABLES: Showers near the end of the week slowed harvesting with some
fields too wet to enter. Low markets are delaying the picking of some
crops. Vegetable volume leaders: cabbage, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers,
potatoes, cucumbers, celery, sweet corn, squash, carrots, snap beans,
radishes, eggplant, and lettuce.

SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Some harvesting continued. Some acreage was
not picked due to low market. Quality and yield are good. A good volume is
available through mid-April. East Coast--The condition remains mostly good.
Harvesting by machine and hand are active. Volume picked is light to
moderate. Quality and color from open ground acreage and plastic are good.
Southwest--Condition remains good. Planting is finished. Harvest ing is
gaining momentum. Yield and quality are good. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop
condition is rated fair to good. Planting is com pleted. Plant growth and
bean development are normal.

CABBAGE: Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Crop in good condition.
Growth and development normal. Central-- Harvest steady. Crop in good
condition. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size small
to medium. Volume and yield increasing. Crop in fair to good condition.
Growth and development normal. Dade--Weekly cuttings on cabbage will
continue with normal yield and good quality until mid-April.

CARROTS: Zellwood--Harvesting continues.

SWEET CORN: Dade--Pulling remains active with good volume available for
next three weeks. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Pulling continues.
Quality and yield are improving as more acreage reaches maturity.
Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is finished. Zellwood,
Everglades--The crop remains in good condition.

CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Picking remains active. First picks are yielding
super select and select grades of mostly good quality and color. Some fruit
is not meeting grade due to wind scars. Planting continues to slow.
Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality
is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition.
Planting has ended. Dade--Pickle harvesting remains active. Yield and
quality are good. A good volume is available for the next three weeks.

EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Youngest fields are
starting to set fruit. Harvesting is active with a moderate volume cut.
Fancy and choice grades are available. Some misshapen and wind-scarred
fruit is not meeting grade. Dade--Cutting continues with a light volume
available. Yield is low but is expected to improve over the next two weeks.
Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growers finished
spring crop planting.

ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting remains active for a
moderate demand.

LETTUCE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting of light supplies continues.
Demand is light to moderate.

OKRA: Dade--Cool nighttime temperatures are slowing plant growth. Most
producers are irrigating fields as needed.

PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality and
size are good. East Coast--Recent plantings are off to a good start.
Transplanting is completed. Harvesting of green Bells is producing good
sizes and quality. Picking of red and yellow Bells, and specialty varieties
is yielding a light volume of variable but mostly good quality. Workers
continue to mow and clean acreage completely picked. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop
condition is fair to good. Planting has ended. Harvest is expected to start
over the next two weeks.

POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition good. Growth and development good.
Harvest steady. Quality and yield good. Dade--Potato harvest steady. Yields
lower than expected. Growers hoping it will improve on later diggings.
Volume will be good until April 10th and then slack off. West Central--Crop
condition fair to good. Growth and development slow to normal. Harvest
gaining. Quality fair. Size small to medium. Yield and volume fair.
Hastings--Planting complete. Crop in good condi tion. Growth and
development normal. Spraying to keep blight under control.

RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging continues. Demand is moderate.

SQUASH: Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting is steady. Quality
and yield are good. East Coast--Overall condition is mostly good. Younger
acreage is in good condition. Cutting continues with fancy and medium
grades available. Quality and color are mostly good. Dade--Harvesting
continues with some later picks curtailed due to a low market. Quality,
size, and yield are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good.

STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvesting remains active with some picking
curtailed at the end of the week due to rainfall. Hot temperatures continue
to affect quality. Growers are starting to turn acreage over to the U-Pic
market. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condi tion is fair. Harvesting is steady. Quality
is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Volume is declining. Dade County--The
U-Pic harvest is providing a good volume of good quality and sizes. Dade
City-- Harvesting continues with some activity delayed by the end of week
rainfall.

TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Fruit set is very good to
excellent. Harvest of a light but increasing volume is active. Yield is
good. Sizes available include extra large, large, and medium. Volume will
increase over the next two weeks. Dade-- Crop condition is good. Fruit
sizing is good especially for first picks. Harvesting remains active with
first, second, and third picks providing good quality and yield. Packout is
improving. Growers are turning most fields over to pinhookers after the
third pick. A good volume is available for the next three weeks. East
Coast-- Crop condition is mostly good. Warm temperatures continue to speed
fruit maturation. Transplanting is finished. Picking contin ues at a very
active pace. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Transplanting
is completed. Plant growth is fair to good. Fruit sets and sizes are fair
to good. Picking will start within the next seven to ten days.
Quincy--Transplanting continues.

CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Picking
continues at a steady pace. Volume is light. Quality and yield are good.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair to good.

PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is steady.
Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condi tion is fair to good. Transplanting
is finished.

WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvest is expected to
begin in early April. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition remains fair to
good. More runners are overlapping row middles. Jefferson County--Mild
weather is boosting growth of direct seedings. Transplanting is active.