Lemons: The 1996-97 U.S. lemon crop is forecast at 950,000 tons, 4 percent
fewer than last quarter and last year.

California's forecast for the 1996-97 crop is 22.0 million boxes (836,000 tons),
the same as in January, but 5 percent more than in 1995-96. Grades throughout
the state were fair to good. South Coast packing is at a peak. Grade defects
were wind scar, tip injury, sunburn, botrytis bumps, and scale. Southern
California lemons graded down due to coarse texture and heavy scar with some
lots having high color. Arizona's lemon crop is expected to be 3.00 million
boxes (114,000 tons), down 25 percent from January and down 41 percent from a
year ago. Abnormally small sizes, due to heart rot dieback in the trees,
reduced the forecasted production.

Tangerines: The 1996-97 U.S. tangerine crop is forecast at a record large
432,000 tons, 1 percent higher than last month's forecast and
24 percent above last season's crop. Florida‘’s tangerine forecast is unchanged
from the March 1 forecast of 6.30 million boxes (299,000 tons), but is up
40 percent from the 4.50 million boxes (213,000 tons) utilized in the 1995-96
season. The California forecast is 2,90 million boxes (109,000 tons), 7 percent
above the previous forecast and 12 percent above the previous year. Arizona's
tangerine production is expected to be 650,000 boxes (24,000 tons), 13 percent
less than last quarter and 35 percent less than last year. Utilized production
is down due to the cyclical nature of the crop and to the light freeze in
December.

Tangelos: Florida’s 1996-97 tangelo crop is 3.95 million boxes (178,000 tons),

1 percent less than last month’s forecast, but 61 percent higher than
last season’s 2.45 million boxes (110,000 tons). This is the largest recorded
tangelo crop since the 1987-88 season.

Temples: The Florida Temple forecast remains at 2.50 million boxes
(113,000 tons), 16 percent higher than a year ago. Through March,
almost 2.38 million boxes were picked.

Florida Citrus: Groves, trees, and fruit remaining for harvest were in very
good condition during March. Rainfall for the month was just
about normal with some locations receiving above average and other locations
receiving below average precipitation. New growth and bloom were abundant as
the citrus belt experienced a near normal bloom period. There was no adverse
weather during the month. Harvest of early and mid-season oranges ended by
mid-month as most processors started utilizing larger amounts of Valencia
oranges and grapefruit. Harvest of Honey tangerines and Temples was slowed
toward the end of the month as supplies ran low. Caretakers were very busy
cutting cover crops, spraying orchards, and pushing and burning dead trees.
Spring herbiciding and fertilizing started in all areas. Utilization of early
and mid-season oranges, including Navels, was virtually complete with about
134 million boxes used by April 1, 1997. There were just over 20 million boxes
of Valencias used. About 39.5 million boxes of all seedless grapefruit were
used. Seedy grapefruit certifications were just about 420,000 boxes.
Utilization of all tangerines through March was nearly 5.70 million boxes.
Temple harvest was at 2.36 million boxes. Tangelo movement was at 3.90 million
boxes.

Texas Citrus: March was a very wet month in many groves across the Rio Grande

Valley. Harvest was slowed by these conditions. Grapefruit
trees were in full bloom during March. Most orange trees have set fruit.
Irrigation needs were alleviated by the March rains.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 16 NASS, USDA


Grapefruit: Acreage, Yield, Utilization, Price, and Value,
California and United States, 1995-96 1/

Utilization of Production

CA > 18,800 431 5,619 2,481 8,100

US Total : 174,570 379 32,244 33,956 66,200

Dollars

10.06 -0.44 6.84 56,527 -1,092 55,435

7.28 2.19 4,63 237,739 72,526 310,265

1/ California estimates of production and price by utilization were
reviewed based on available new data. Revisions were not necessary;
therefore, estimates were carried forward from the "Citrus Fruits 1996
Summary" released in September 1996.

2/ Net lbs per hox: 67.

3/ Equivalent packinghouse-door returns.

4/ U.S. marketing year average prices are derived by weighting the state
marketing year average prices per box by the respective box weights.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 5 NASS, USDA


The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in
its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,-
disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status. Persons with
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Office of Communications at (202) 720-2791.

To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington, D.C.,
20250, or call 1-800-245-6340 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal

employment opportunity employer.

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Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 20 NASS, USDA


Papayas: Area and Fresh Production, by Month, Hawaii, 1996-97

-- 1,000 Pounds --

Feb : 3,720 3,530 2,265 1,495 3,530 3,145
Mar : 3,650 4,310 2,145 2,115 2,990 2,935

Peanuts: Farm Marketing Percents by Month,
State, and United States, 1995 and 1996 Crop Years

State

and : Aug : Sep : Oct + Nov : Dec : Jan Feb

Crop Year : :
Percent

1995 Crop
AL 3 59.4 35.8 3.8 7
FL Lid 56.8 36.8 4.2 9 2
GA : 1.6 59.8 34.2 3.9 A 1
NC : 4.4 56.9 27.4 6.8 4.3 2
TX : 1.1 3.8 47.6 40.7 6.6 2
VA 3 4.8 55.0 32.7 4.8 2.7
US : 1.0 40.4 40.7 14.6 2.5 7 1
1996 Crop
AL : 33.3. 57.2 8.9 6
FL : 45.7 49.7 4.0 6
GA : 43.0 50.1 6.6 2 a1
NC t 1.2 76.4 15.4 4.4 2.6
TT : 5.3 66.0 23.3 3.9 1.2 3
VA 3 11.2 63.9 13.9 6.7 4.3
us 27.7 58.0 11.5 1.9 8 1
Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

April 1997 10 NASS, USDA


Citrus Fruits:

1997 1/

Utilized Production by Crop, State, and United States,
1995-96 and Forecasted April 1,

Utilized Production

Crop and State

Oranges
Early Mid &
Navel 3/

Valencia
AZ
CA
FL
TX
Us

Grapefruit
White Seediess
FL
Colored Seedless

Desert
Other Areas
Total

FL

TX

us

Tangerines
AZ

Tangelos
FL

K-Early Citrus
FL

: 156,050

: 107,555

1994-95

400
35,000

: 119,700

950

650
21,000
85,800

105

1,050
56,000

: 205,500

1,055

: 263,605

2,550

25,700
28,700
1,300
1,400

3,300
6,000
9,300
55,700
4,650
71,050

650
2,500
3,550
6,700

3,600
20,000
23,600

3,150

Boxes

~ 1,000 Boxes 2/

700
38,000
121,200
830
160,730

950
28,000
82,000

110

111,060

1,650
66,000
203,200
940
271,790

2,150

23,200
28,100
1,050

1,200

8,100
52,350
4,550
66,200

1,000
2,600
4.500
8,100

5,100
21,000
26,100

2,450

500
43,000
134,200
1,300
179,000

800
28,000
87,000

120

415,920

1,300
71,000
221,200
1,420
294,920

2,500

26,500
32,500
1,000

1,000

9,200
59,000
5,300
74,500

650
2,900
6,300
9,850

3,000
22,000
25,000

3,950

Utilized Production
Ton Equivalent

19
1,613
6,039

7,726
30
1,050
3,915
5
5,000
49
2,663
9,954
12,726

113

1,126
1,339
43

34

308
2,508
212
3,062

24
109
299
432

114
836
950

Crop Production
April 1997

15 27
1,313 1,426
5,387 5,454

40 35
6,755 6,942

24 36

788 1,051
3,861 3,690
4 4
4,677 4,781

39 63
2,101 2,477
9,248 9,144

44 39

11,432 11,723
1214 97
1,092 986
1,220 1,194
55 45
47 40
iit
201
312 271
2,367 2,225
186 182
2,912 2,718
25 38
94 97
168 213
287 348
137 194
760 798
897 992
142 110
5 7
Agricultural

Statistics Board

NASS, USDA


Total Citrus: Acreage,
California and United States

Production, Utilization, and Value,
1995-96 1/

Acres 1,000 Dollars
cA : 269,800 828,317
US Total 21,103,620 2,606,274

1/ California estimates of grapefruit production and price by utilization

were reviewed based on available new data. Revisions were not necessary;
therefore, estimates were carried forward from the “Citrus Fruits 1996
Summary" released in September 1996.

2/ Based on equivalent packinghouse-door returns.

U.S. Grapefruit Production
1970-1996 and Forecasted 1997

Million Tons
3.5

{ i tf
94 96 97

46 HH ttt tt
“70 72 74 7 78 80 82

Up 13% from last season
Up less than 1% from March
Record large production

8 8 8 90 92

Crop Production
April 1997 6

Agricultural Statistics Board
NASS, USDA


Potatoes: Area Planted, Harvested, Yield, and Production
by Seasonal Group, State, and United States, 1995-97
Seasonal
Group
and 2
State Bm nt tr nnn mw nn enn nnn nn nnn nnn nnn nn nnn nnn renner naan

Production

Winter 3

CA : 5.7 6.6 5.7 6.6 250 245 1,300 1,425 1,617

FL : 8.8 9.0 8.8 8.8 210 175 1,173 1,848 1,540

Total > 14.5 15.6 14.5 15.4 226 205 2,473 3,273 3,157
Spring

aL 2.0 1.6 1.9 1.5 160 175 400 304 263

AZ 9.0 6.2 9.0 6.2 275 285 1,755 2,475 1,767

CA 20.1 18.6 20.1 18.6 375 385 6,230 7,538 7,161

FL : 38.0 36.0 35.5 35.3 219 245 7,830 7,765 8,651

Hastings : 28.5 27.0 27.5 26.5 239 270 5,940 6,325 7,155
Other FL : 9.5 9.0 8,0 8.8 180 170 1,890 1,440 1,496

Nc : 17.5 17.0 17.0 16.5 190 190 3,053 3,230 3,135

TX 6.8 7.7 6.5 7.4 170 200 925 1,105 1,480

Total : 93.4 87.1 90.0 85.5 249 263 20,193 22,417 22,457
Summer 1/

AL 6.8 6.7 150 1,139 21,005

CA 5.8 5.8 360 1,760 2,088

co 9.9 9.7 330 2,776 3,201

DE 6.9 5.9 250 1,475 1,475

IL 6.3 6.0 275 1,485 1,650

IA 1.5 1.5 210 240 315

MD 2.0 1.9 200 360 380

MO 7.8 74 230 1,587 1,633

NE 5.6 5.5 270 1,254 1,485

No 2.6 2.5 265 702 663

NM 3.9 3.9 360 1,344 1,404

Nc 1.2 1.2 90 124 108

TX 10.5 9.5 240 1,645 2,280

VA 8.0 7.5 225 2,040 1,688

Total 77.9 74.7 259 17,931 19,375

1/ 1996 revised.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 9 NASS, USDA


NEY-4 National

Crop Sie

Service

Production USDA

Washington, D.C.

Released April 11, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural
Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on “Crop Production” call
{202) 720-2127, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Forecasts refer to April 1, 1997.

Record Large Orange Production

All oranges production for the 1996-97 season is forecast at a record large
12.7 million tons, up 1 percent from the previous forecast in March, mainly due
to increases in California. The forecast is up 9 percent from a year ago. This
year’s crop is 8 percent larger than the previous record of 11.8 million tons
set in the 1979-80 season. Florida's production amounts to 221 million boxes
{9.95 million tons), down less than 1 percent from March’s forecast but

9 percent above last season. Early and midseason varieties were reduced to

134 million boxes (6.04 million tons), 1 percent below last month but 11 percent
above last year. Florida’s Valencia crop forecast remained 87.0 million boxes
(3.92 million tons), 6 percent above last season’s crop. The California all
orange production forecast, at 71.0 million boxes (2.66 million tons), is up

9 percent from the previous forecast in January and 8 percent from last season.
The Navel orange forecast is 43.0 million boxes (1.61 million tons), up 10
percent from January and 13 percent from last year's production of 38.0 million
boxes. The California valencia forecast is 28.0 million boxes (1.05 million
tons), up 8 percent from January and equal to last year.

Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield for the 1996-97 season is
forecast at 1.57 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, up from 1.54 in March.
The forecast projects the final yield as reported by the Florida Citrus
Processors Association. The final 1995-96 yield for all fruit used in FCOJ was
1.52 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix. The projected average yield for
1996-97 early and midseason varieties is final at 1.52 gallons per box,
unchanged from last month’s forecast and up from last season’s final of

1.45. Valencia yield is projected at 1.66 gallons per box, up from 1.60 last
month but down from 1.67 last season.

Cr Pr 2-2 (4-97)


Peanuts: Price and Value by State
and United States, 1995-96

--~- Dollars ---- 1,000 Dollars
aL : 288 264 139,208 118,749
FL : 22721 250 52,463 59,040
GA : 295 272 417,390 388,552
NM : 336 305 14,448 11,575
NC 2 298 +261 103,418 95,918
OK 3 +298 300 60,160 58,563
sc 2 +298 2245 9,178 7,975
TX 2 «287 «248 154,980 170,872
VA 3 300 269 62,078 58,981
us : +293 265 1,013,323 970,225
Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

April 1997 12 NASS, USDA


Peanuts:

Area Planted and Harvested, Yield,

by State and United States, 1995-96 1/

and Production

Area Harvested

USDA

1995 1996 1995 1996
Po Ameren merc es rene 1,000 Acres ~--~----~------+---
AL : 213.0 192.0 212.0 191.0
FL 89.0 30.0 81.0 82.0
CA 595.0 535.0 592.0 533.0
NM 20.0 16.5 20.0 16.5
Nc 144.0 125.0 144.0 125.0
OK 100.0 85.0 98.0 81.0
sc 11.5 11.0 11.0 10.5
TX 275.0 270.0 270.0 265.0
VA 90.0 717.0 89.0 76.0
us 1,537.5 1,401.5 1,517.0 1,380.0
Production
1995 1996 1995 1996
- 1,000 Pounds -

AL 2,280 2,355 483,360 449,805
FL 2,390 2,880 193,590 236,160
GA 2,390 2,690 1,414,880 1,433,770
NM 2,150 2,300 43,000 37,950
NC 2,410 2,940 347,040 367,500
OK 2,060 2,410 201,880 195,210
sc 2,800 3,100 30,800 32,550
TX 2,000 2,600 540,000 689,000
VA 2,325 2,885 206,925 219,260
Us 2,282 2,653 3,461,475 3,661,205
1/ 1996 Revised.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 11 NASS,


Citrus Fruit Footnotes

1/ The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with
the completion of harvest the following year.

2/ Net lbs. per box: oranges-AZ & CA-75, FL-90, TX~85; grapefruit-AZ & CA-67,
FL-85, TX-80; lemons-76, tangelos, K-Early Citrus & Temples-90;
tangerines~AZ & CA-75, FL-95.

3/ Navel and miscellaneous varieties in AZ and CA. Early and mid-season
varieties in FL and TX, including small quantities of tangerines in TX.

4/ California Desert and Other Areas Grapefruit forecasts combined to All
Grapefruit beginning in 1995-96.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

April 1997 8 NASS, USDA


Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States,
1996 and Forecasted April 1, 1997
(Metric Units)

Area Planted Area Harvested

Crop
1996 1997 1996 1997
: Hectares

Peanuts 1/ : 567,170 564,740 558,470
Potatoes :

Winter : 5,870 6,310 5,870 6,230

Spring can 37,800 35,250 36,420 34,600

Summer 1/ z 31,530 30,230

1/ 1996 revised.

Crop Summary: Yield per Hectare and Production, United States,
1996 and Forecasted April 1, 1997
(Metric Units)

Yield per Hectar Production

Metric Tons

Peanuts i/ 2 2.97 1,660,690

Potatoes :
Winter 2/ 2 25.29 22.99 148,460 146,280 143,200
Spring +: 27.92 29.44 1,016,820 1,018,630
Summer 1/ + 29.07 878,840

1/ 1996 revised.
2/ March 1 forecast carried forward from January 1.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 4 NASS, USDA


California Citrus: Citrus harvesting was active throughout the month of March.

Grapefruit picking in the desert area was peaking while
gaining momentum in other areas. Wind scar and sunburn were reported. Quality
was good, but sizes were small. Lemon harvest in the South Coast was active
with good grades. Some scar, windburn, and scale were detected. Approximately
three fourths of the navel orange crop was picked by April 1. Quality was
excellent with very large fruit size. Some puff and crease were reported. The
Valencia orange harvest was active throughout the state. Volume picked was less
than 5 percent of the total crop, but early reports indicate good to excellent
quality. Tangerine picking was active with good quality and color.

California Fruit and Nut: Warm, dry weather throughout March was ideal for bees
and pollination. A drier than normal February and

March brought the need for early irrigation in many orchards. Stone fruit and

almonds completed bloom, while walnut, pistachios, and pecans began bloom.

Apple varieties were in various stages of bloom. The warm weather brought early

and vigorous growth to grapes.

Winter Potatoes: Production of winter potatoes is forecast at 3.16 million cwt,
down 2 percent from January and 4 percent below last year.

Area for harvest, at 15,400 acres, is up 6 percent from last year. The average
yield is forecast at 205 cwt per acre, down 21 cwt from last year. The January
19 frost in Dade County, Florida, killed some acreage and reduced early yields.
Harvest is now active with good quality and volume expected through April.
California’s harvest is nearly completed, with harvested acreage up 16 percent.
Yields are 5 cwt per acre less than last year.

Spring Potatoes: Spring production in 1997 is forecast at 22.5 million cwt, up

less than 1 percent from last year and 11 percent above 1995.
Area for harvest is estimated at 85,500 acres, down 5 percent from a year ago
but 1 percent above two years ago. The average yield is forecast at 263 cwt per
acre, a gain of 14 cwt over last year and 23 cwt above two years ago.

California’s acreage is down from last year, primarily in russet and chip types.
Kern County spring potatoes are in better than normal condition. Arizona's
acreage is back to normal without french fry contracts. Acreage and yield
expectations in Texas are above last year. The Hastings, Florida, spring crop
is in good condition with no winter weather damage. Growers expect a mid-to~
late April harvest start, continuing into June. Some freeze damage did occur in
“Other” Florida areas in early planted fields. Harvest is underway. North
Carolina's planted acreage is down from last year, but conditions for growth and
development are ideal.

Summer Potatoes, 1996 final: The 1996 summer production estimate was revised

down less than 1 percent from the preliminary
estimate in January. Production now stands at 19.4 million cwt, up 8 percent
from a year earlier and 11 percent above comparable State totals in 1994,
Harvest covered 74,700 acres, up 6 percent from the previous year, while the
average yield of 259 cwt per acre was up 5 cwt.

Papayas: Hawaii fresh papaya production is estimated at 2.94 million pounds for
March, 7 percent lower than February and 2 percent lower than a year
ago.

March weather conditions were mostly wet with intermittent periods of sunshine.
Papaya ringspot virus continues to be a problem in infected fields.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 Ww NASS, USDA


Report Features

The next "Crop Production" report will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on
May 12, 1997.

Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Crops Branch of the National
Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information.

C. Ray Halley, Chief

Crop Production

Field Crops Section

Bill Dowdy, Head
Kevin Barnes - Soybeans, Minor Oilseeds
Rhonda Brandt - Sugar Crops, Weekly Crop Weather, Oats
Dan Kerestes - Corn
Roger Latham - Cotton, Cotton Ginnings
Joel Moore - Barley, Hay, Sorghum
Barbara Rater - Peanuts, Rice
Vaughn Siegenthaler - Wheat, Rye

Fruit, Vegetable & Special Crops Section

vince Matthews, Head

Arvin Budge - Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes

Dave DeWalt - Citrus, Tropical Fruits

Howard Hill - Cherries, Berries, Prunes, Plums,
Cranberries, Grapes, Maple Syrup

Vince Matthews - Nuts, Floriculture

Dave Mueller - Fresh and Processing Vegetables, Onions

Linda Simpson - Noncitrus Fruits, Mint, Dry Beans & Peas,

Mushrooms, Hops
Debbie Williams - Apples, Strawberries, Tobacco

April 1997 19

(202)

(202)
(202)
(202)
(202)
(202)
(202)
(202)
(202)

(202)
(202)
(202)

(202)
(202)
(202)

(202)
(202)

720-2127

720-3843
720-7369
720-7621
720-9526
720-5944
690-3234
720-7688
720-8068

720-3843
720-4285
720-5412

720-7235
720-3843
720-2157

690-0270
720-4288

Agricultural Statistics Board

NASS, USDA


Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States,
1996 and Forecasted April 1, 1997
(Domestic Units)

Area Planted Area Harvested
CLO fener nnn ener eran errr nnn nner renner cnr
1996 1997 1996 1997
1,000 Acres
Peanuts 1/ : 1,402.5 1,395.5 1,380.0
Potatoes :
Winter t 14.5 15.6 14.5 15.4
Spring + 93.4 87.1 90.0 85.5
Summer 1/ 3 77.9 74.7

1/ 1996 revised.

Crop Summary: Yield per Acre and Production, United States,
1996 and Forecasted April 1, 1997
(Domestic Units)

Crop and Unit

Peanuts 1/ Lb : 2,653 3,661,205

Potatoes :
Winter 2/ Cwt : 226 205 3,273 3,225 3,157
Spring “os 249 263 22,417 22,457
Summer 1/ mo 259 19,375

1/ 1996 revised.
2/ March 1 forecast carried forward from January 1.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 3 NASS, USDA


Crop Summary: Production, United States,
1995-96 and Forecasted 1996-97

Utilized Production

Crop Year 1/ 1995-96 1996-97 1996-97
1,000 Tons
citrus Fruits

Oranges 11,723 12,542 12,726
Grapefruit 2,718 3,056 3,062
Lemons 2/ : 992 988 950
Tangerines 2 348 428 432
Temples (FL) : 97 113 113
Tangelos (FL) : 110 180 178
K-Early Citrus (FL) 7 7 7

Metric Tons

Oranges : 10,634,930 11,377,910 11,544,830
Grapefruit 3 2,465,730 2,772,360 2,777,800
Lemons 2/ : 899,930 896,300 861,830
Tangerines : 315,700 388,280 391,900
Temples (FL) 3 88,000 102,510 102,510
Tangelos (FL) : 99,790 163,290 161,480
K-Early Citrus (FL) 6,350 6,350 6,350

1/ Crop year begins with the bloom of the first year and ends with the
completion of harvest the following year.
2/ March 1 estimate carried forward from January 1 forecast.

This report was approved on April 11, 1997, by the Acting Secretary of
Agriculture and the National Agricultural Statistics Service's Agricultural
Statistics Board.

(Lt Ul

Agricultural Statistics Board

Agriculture Chairperson
Richard £. Rominger Rich Alten
Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

April 1997 2 NASS, USDA


March Weather Summary: A remarkably consistent weather pattern led to

precipitation extremes, ranging from near-record to
record wetness in the Northwest and from southern Texas to the Ohio Valley, to
very Gry weather from the Southwest into the central and southern Plains.
Sub-normal rainfall was also observed in the Southeast, as the primary storm
track remained well to the northwest. Several monthly temperature records were
broken in the Southeast, where readings ranged from 4 to 8 degrees above normal.
In contrast, monthly temperatures ranged from 1 to 5 degrees F below normal in
New England. Cool weather also prevailed across snow-covered portions of the
northern Plains and upper Midwest, keeping widely anticipated snow-melt flooding
in check until month's end. In the Southwest, however, a mid- to late-month
warm spell propelled monthly temperatures 3 to 7 degrees F above normal.

A fierce spring storm emerged from the Southwest on March 1, dumping 4 to 10
inches of rain from the northern Delta to the southern half of the Ohio Valley,
and sparking a ferocious tornado outbreak--~leaving 25 dead--in Arkansas.
Ensuing floodwaters coursed through the Ohio River, generating one of the 10
worst floods on record from the Ohio-West Virginia border downstream to the
confluence with the Mississippi. For much of the middle Ohio River, the
flooding was the worst since March 1964. Some of the worst flooding unfolded in
Kentucky, where March 1 totals included 10.48 inches in Louisville--breaking
their all-time, 24-hour record set on March 9, 1964--and 5.56 inches in
Lexington. Other storms perpetuated the region's wet spell, boosting totals by
month's end to 17.52 inches in Louisville and 13.82 in Lexington.’ March-record
precipitation was observed in the following locations:

Location Total (In.) Former Record (In.)/Year
Louisville, KY 17.52 14.91 in 1964
Astoria, OR 15.31 13.47 in 1956
Lexington, KY 13.82 10.38 in 1975
Olympia, WA 11.79 10.13 in 1950
Victoria, TX 11.62 7.91 in 1957
Galveston, TX 11.33 9.49 in 1973

Monthly rainfall of 5.95 inches in Brownsville, TX was 1,123 percent (%) of
normal, and second only to a 6.46-inch total in 1903. In San Angelo, TX,
January-March rainfall totaled 7.60 inches, their third~highest amount on
record, and the most since 8.03 inches fell in 1923. In Tennessee, Nashville's
total of 9.64 inches was their greatest in March since 1975.

Meanwhile, a broad area from California to the western Corn Belt, and on the
central and southern Plains, received less than a quarter of the normal
precipitation. Especially Gry weather persisted in the Southwest and in winter
wheat areas from Nebraska to Texas. For the first time since 1959, no rain fell
in March at the L.A. Civic Center. Only a trace dampened Goodland, KS. March
records included:

Location Total (In.) Former Record (In.)/Year
L.A. Civic Center, CA 0.00 0.00 in 1959 and earlier
Goodland, KS trace 0.03 in 1929
Dodge City, KS trace trace on five occasions
Valentine, NE 0.01 0.01 in 1957

Only 0.01 inch fell in Amarillo, TX, their smallest total since only a trace
fell in 1950. Farther west, recovery from the New Year's flood continued in
northern California and western Nevada under mostly dry conditions. Only 3.00
inches (35% of normal) fell in the western Sierra Nevada foothills at Blue
Canyon, CA. After 75.35 inches (329% of normal) pelted Blue Canyon in December~
January, only 4.77 inches (26% of normal) has fallen since. Farther north,
however, persistent storminess culminated in record flooding on the southern
slopes of Washington's Olympic Mountains on March 18-19, March 16-19 rainfall
reached 22.36 inches at the dam near the headwaters of the Wynoochee River. By

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 13 NASS, USDA


Area devoted to papaya production totaled 4,310 acres, 22 percent higher than
last month and 18 percent higher than last March. Harvested area, totaling
2,115 acres, was 41 percent more than February but 1 percent lower than a year

ago.

Peanuts, 1996 Final: U.S. peanut production totaled 3.66 billion pounds in

1996, up 6 percent from last year's reduced crop. Area
planted to peanuts totaled 1.40 million acres, down 9 percent from 1995 and the
smallest planted acreage since 1982. Harvested area, at 1.38 million acres,
fell 9 percent from a year ago. The U.S. yield per harvested acre averaged
2,653 pounds, up 371 pounds from 1995. Average yields in all peanut states
showed an increase from a year ago.

Production in the Southeastern States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South
Carolina) totaled 2.15 billion pounds, up 1 percent from 1995. Production
increased over a year ago despite a 9 percent decrease in plantings. Yields in
the 4-State area averaged 2,636 pounds, up 267 pounds from one year earlier.
Georgia remained the leading peanut producer with 39 percent of the total U.S.
production.

Virginia and North Carolina growers produced 587 million pounds of peanuts in
1996, up 6 percent from last year's reduced crop and despite a 14 percent
decrease in planted and harvested acreages. Yields averaged 2,919 pounds,
541 pounds above 1995.

The Southwest crop (New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) totaled 992 million pounds,
17 percent above the 1995 total. Texas output in 1996 was the largest on
record at 689 million pounds. Area harvested in the 3-State area was down

7 percent from a year ago. Yields averaged 2,544 pounds per acre, 521 pounds
above the 1995 average.

The 1996 marketing year average price received by farmers for peanuts was
26.5 cents per pound, down 2.8 cents from 1995. The value of peanut production
for the 1996 crop totaled $970 million, down 4 percent from a year earlier.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
April 1997 18 NASS, USDA