Harvest of California's navel oranges proceeded under difficult con-
ditions in January because of December freeze damaged fruits and heavy
January reins. Shipment schedules were maintained by picking borders
and rows near driveways. About 38 percent of the navel crop had been
moved by February 1. In the last week of January, two hail storms
struck large areas of navel oranges damaging fruit and foliage. Damage
is expected to cause increased cullage, lowering of grade and loss of
some fruit.

Valencia oranges developed slowly due to cold, rainy weather, and in
some districts sizes are small for this time of year. Also, heavy crops in
some groves may be causing small size fruit. The December freeze severely
damaged fruit in some Southern California districts, where the late season
Valencia shipments originate. Damage varied depending on grove location,
the amount of heating, and use of wind machines. Groves on hillsides are ex-
pected to show little or no frost demage at harvest time. The small
volume of Valencia oranges located in desert areas is maturing, and ship~
ments are expected to begin shortly. Some of the fruit has been seriously
damaged by frost and some lots are expected to move directly to product
plants.

Harvest of California Desert Valley's grapefruit continued heavy
through January, and about 20 percent of the expected production had
been shipped by the end of January. Fruit maturity was earlier than
normal, but sizes are below normal. Most of the fruit has been ring
picked with only the large fruit being harvested. ‘The grapefruit set
in "Other Areas" is heavy but sizes are small. Light picking began in
some districts during December, but activity has been limited.

Flood waters carried heavy amounts of mud and silt into some lemon
groves from Tulare to the Los Angeles Basin. However, trees are ex-
pected to suffer only minor damage. Many lemons were knocked off the
trees by high winds and heavy rains and fruit damaged during the
December freeze continued to drop. Harvest has nearly ceased until
groves dry out.

Citrus harvest in Texas was active in January. Both grapefruit and
early and mid-season oranges were moving in good volume. Harvest of
grapefruit is expected to continue active in February. Early and mid-
season oranges should be available until February 15. Harvest of
Valencia oranges started in late January, but movement into fresh market

channels is expected to be light until the early and mid-season crop is
sold.

In Arizona navel and miscellaneous orange harvest is nearly complete.
Some of the fruit normally packed as fresh is being used for juice be-
eause of freeze damage. Harvest of Valencia oranges is expected to
reach volume proportions by the end of February. Grapefruit harvest
has not xy -ached volume proportions,

AVOCADOS: California's production of fall and winter variety avocados is

forecast at 32,000 tons, almost double last year's small
crop. Harvest was slowed by the December freeze and January rains. Some

CROP PRODUCTION, February 1969 - 57 Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA


UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE POSTAGE AND FEES PAID
STATISTICAL REPORTING SERVICE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

WASHINGTON, D. C. 20251

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

*U, S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 19603i1-756 (St5-113)



Wheat pasture and oth:
during January. Most of t)
eastern Kansas and parts o:
Dry range forage was avai
Pastures are poor to fair
‘but recent rains improved
in a number of areas, but
in satisfactory condition.

r small grains furnished only minimal grazing
e Kansas wheat was dormant, and fields in
Oklahoma were too soft to support grazing.
ible in Oklahoma and Texes but quality is poor.
most South Central and Southeastern States,
ture prospects. Stored feed supplies are low
© acute shortages are expected, Livestock are

CEPRUS: ‘The Nation's 1968:
boxes, 38 percent
erop. The forecast is do

69 orange crop is forecast at 172.2 million
above last year but 6 percent below the 1966-67
slightly from last month largely because

on oranges are picking out below expectation,
lencia oranges in Florida, Texes and California
ith, Arizona's Valencia oranges are growing well,
and February 1 prospects are for a crop 7 percent larger than forecast

January 1,
Grapefruit production

above last season and 5 pe:
pects edged upward in Flor.
“Other Areas."

is forecast at 58.5 million boxes, 33 percent
cent above the 1966-67 crop. Production pros-
da more than offsetting a decline in California's

pected to be 8 percent below last year because
inues to reduce usable fruit in California and
ees generally are in good to excellent condition.

Lemon production is e
December freeze damage con’
Arizona, Florida citrus t:

Soil moisture was aA
the latter part of the mon’
in younger groves where

uate in the first part of January but short in
fh. Fruit droppage has been very light except
jor defoliation took place. Movement of oranges
to February 1, 1969 is ahead of lest year, About 67 percent of the early
and mid-season oranges w: harvested by February 1. Only a few Valencias
have been picked. Grapefruit harvest has been running below last season's
volume. Small sizes and lack of labor have slowed grapefruit hervest.
Temples are moving similarly to est season, while tangerine movement is
considerably ahead of lest|February 1. Tangerine production prospects were
reduced because much fruit|failed to reach marketable size and some was
lost in the mid-December freeze,

The February 5 frost did not cause any additional
damage to Florida citrus, Some injury to new growth has
been observed in cold and frost pocket locations where
trees were defoliated by the mid-December freeze, The most
significant effect of the February 5 frost was to delay nev
growth and bloom whi¢h had been stimulated by spring-like
weather during the preceding ten days.

CROP PRODUCTION, February 1969 ~he Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA



lots continue to show effect;
been cleared up. Harvest of
available into May.

POTATOES:
weight, 3 percent
the 1967 crop.

Harvest is underway on
Florida and "white" varieties

of the frost, but most damaged fruits have
Fuertes will remain active with supplies

Production of winter potatoes is estimated at 3,998,000 hundred-

above 1968 production but 18 percent less than

"reds" in the Ft. Myers-Inmokalee area of
are growing well. The Dade County crop is

generally developing satisfactorily although heavy rains have damaged plants

in poorly drained spots in s
to start about February 10.
was generally completed by

fields. Vine killing of "reds" is expected
Harvesting of the winter crop in the Everglades

ibruary 1.

Heavy rains virtually halted potato harvest in California during the

last helf of January.
out a’ few fields, but there
Harvesting will resume as fit
plies are expected during Fe’

Prospective plantings
acres, 1 percent less than th
cent less than 1967 plantings|

Riverside County growers used extra power to mud-

8 little activity in San Joaquin Valley fields.
ds dry out, but only light to moderate sup-
UATYs

early summer potatoes are estimated at 84,300
Bh, S00 acres planted a year ago and 5 per-
of 88,300 acres. The intended acreage for

1969 is above the planted acreage lest year for the Eastern Shore of Virginia,

Tennessee, and Alabama, while|

Delaware and Maryland show no change. All

other States, including the important producing States of California and

Texas, are indicating a lower
The Nation|

POULTRY AND EGGS:
January, di

ally lowe. than last month.
million birds, down 1 percent’
earlier. Rate of lay average

planted acreage than last year.

's laying flock produced 5,716 million eggs in
own 4 percent from January 1968 and fraction-
Layers on farms in January averaged 316.7
from last month and 3 percent below a year

€ 18.05 eggs per layer compared with 17.9 a

month earlier and 18,31 a year earlier.

January egg production
Regional decreases were: Wes
T percent; South Central, 5
Atlantic and South Atlantii

Rate of lay per 100
with 57.9 a month earlier and
earlier in all regions except

the South Central which was up

316.3 million, down 2 percent
West North Central, 9 percent
3 percent;

ial

West, 1 percent; 4

declined from a year earlier in all regions.
North Central, 13 percent; East North Central
percent; and West, 3 percent. The North

re down a fraction of i percent.

sé on February 1 averaged 58.6 eggs compared
59,5 a year earlier. Rates were below a year
the North Atlantic which was up 2 percent and
fractionally. Layers on February 1 totaled
from a year earlier. Regional declines were:
East North Central, 4 percent; South Central,
ind North Atlantic, less than 1 percent. ‘he

South Atlantic was up 2 percent.

CROP PRODUCTION, February 1969 -6- Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA



,
February 10, 1969

3:00 P.M, EST

UNITED STATES CROP SUMMARY AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1969

CITRUS FRUITS,PRODUCTION 1/

Crop : 1966-67 1967-68
— as ~TTITT, 00 boxes ===
Oranges ..... 3 183,610 124, 820 172,200
Grapefruit . 55,880 44, 060 58,500
Lemons ..- 217910 6 550 15,200

i/ Season begins with the bloom of the year shown and ends with the completion
‘of harvest the following year,

POTATOES, IRISH

1967 :

Seasonal
group

: 1968 3 1968

1967

Winter ....6. 3 24,7 21.9

: cated:
Early Spring ; 37.0 34.4 3206 79 146 --- 2,940 5,019 Apr. 10

84.2 88.5 227 244 --- 23,734 20,520 May 9
84.9 84.3 158 80 13,728 June 10

Late Spring
Early Summer: §&

1967 1968

1969 : :
~ + Million pounds = 22S Millions ~ =

9,802 9,546 9,407 5,908 5,983 5,716

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Statistical Reporting Service Crop Reporting Board
CrPr 2-2 (2-69) Washington, D.C. 20250


Egg producers on February 1 reported plans to buy 4 percent fewer
replacement chicks and started pullets than in 1968. Declines were
reported for all regions except the West North Central which reported
100 percent. Regional declines were: North Atlantic, 6 percent; East
North Central, South Atlantic, end South Central, 5 percent; and West,
2 percent,

Some differences between these intentions and actual purchases
can be expected. Differences depend on the egg~feed price relationship,
other developments in the rest of the hatching season, and producers'
reactions to this report.

HENS AND PULLETS OF LAYING AGE AND EGGS LAID PER 100 LAYERS

worth ‘x, North'w, Nort ; * 48? unitea
Year atlantic ‘central central iatlantic! Centre? Mester : States ‘states 1/

piabeianeteaneetenenaet AND PULLETS OF Tayi ade FERUAAY 77 7 “Tae

: Thou, Thou, Thou. Thou. Thou. Thou. ‘Thou. ‘Thou.
1967 246,153 45,155 P3015 59,260 66,526 49,219 319,391 320,320
1968 2/ : 45,093 4,286 te 387 62,383 69,404 52,519 323,072 32,054
1969 :Wbjah7 42,552 wh, 701 63,842 © 67,500 51,931 315,373 316,324

: EGGS LAID PER 100 LAYERS

: Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number
1967 : 60.0 60.0 62.9 60.5 58.0 58.8 ~~ 60.0 60.0
1968 2f 59.9 60.6 60.5 60.2 57.8 58.5 5965 5965
1969 : 60.8 59.4 58.0 59.0 58.0 56.6 58.6 58.6

: HENS AND PULLETS OF LAYING AGE JANUARY 1

3 Thou. Thou. Thou. Thou. Thou, Thou. Thou. Thou.
1967 247,096 45,458 5h,2ik 60,388 67,578 49,129 323,863 324,809
1968 af =: 45,879 45,179 50, 45 63,594 70,669 52,573 328,339 329,208
1969 245,018 42,682 45,648 64,132 67,493 51,109 316,082 317,053
3/ Includes Alaska and Haveli, == = == = = SSSStsS~S _
2/ Revised.

MIIX PRODUCTION: Milk production in January is estimated at 9,407

million pounds. This is one percent less than a
year earlier and the smallest January production since 1955. January
production was up 2 percent from December 1968, compared with a 3
percent increase during the same period a year earlier.

The revised estimate of 1968 milk production totals 117,281
million pounds, compared with 118,769 million pounds for 1967.

CROP PRODUCTION, February 1969 -7- | Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA


GENERAL CRO

Soil moisture is adequi
to the Crop Reporting Board!
heavy snow accumulations in|
of the western Great Pleins|
ceived very little precipit:

P REPCRT AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 1969

ate to surplus in much of the Nation, according

Precipitation was general during January with
the North Central and Northwest Regions. Parts
where soil moisture was short a month ago, re~

ation during January. Shortages of soil mois~

ture intensified, in western Kansas, eastern Colorado, the Oklehoma Pan-

handle and western Texas.

The eastern half of the
primarily as rain after midr
come in the Atlantic Coast
short in mucH of the area fr
of rain and snow were dumpe
considerable damage, but i
prospects.

Production of winter p
1968 output, but 18 percent
table production is expecte:
milk production was 1 perce
1967. Egg production was

nonth -

ron Georgia to Pennsylvania.

Nation received considerable precipitation,
This précipitation was especially wel-
‘tates, since surface moisture was becoming
Excessive amounts
in California, Oregon, and Washington causing
roving soll moisture and long range irrigation

tatoes is expected to be 3 percent above the
ess than the 1967 crop. Winter fresh vege-
to be 9 percent more than last year. January
it less than a year earlier and 4 percent below
wn 4 percent from a year earlier.

from last month.
than last season. Most of
where oranges, tangerines,
tation. Orange production
last year but 6 percent bel:

Wei

Cold, and blowing snow
ranchers -~ especially from
Temperatures averaged well
above normal. Montana had eé:
tures averaging 25° pelow no
In many North Central States
feeding livestock and moveme:
Central areas of the Nation
in many areas caused extreme
siderable icing in the Corn
mothering damage to alfalfa

Heavy rains at the end
of low-lying fields in the
and washing is not believed

considerable land has been y
Limited amount of spring gra

weather in Louisiana at the

CROP PRODUCTION, February 19

of the Nation's citrus crop is down 2 percent

lospects are for a crop about 30 percent larger
e decline from last month centered in Florida

mples and limes are picking out below expec~

r the Nation is expected to be 38 percent above
the 1966-67 crop.

ther Limits Farm Activities

de Janusry a trying month for farmers and
innesota and Iowa to the Pacific Northwest.
low normal and precipitation was generally
‘treme cold throughout January with tempera-

a1 in the north central part of the State.
drifting snow plugged roads and yards, making
ht of agricultural products very difficult.
armed at midmonth. The thawing snow plus rain
ly muddy feed yards. Freezing rain and con-
Belt during January caused concern over possible
and other legumes.

of the month resulted in some flooding
South Central Region. Damage from mud
extensive. Fieldwork has been slow, but
wepared in extreme southermm areas. A
zins has been seeded. Unseasonably mild
end of the month could cause some prema-

69 -2- Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA



ture blooming of strawberries and other fruits. Accumulated chilling hours
for peaches were above average in Georgia and South Carolina. Tobacco
farmers are busy preparing and seeding plantbeds. Stripping and selling of
tobacco was active in Kentucky during January. Fieldwork has been at a
standstill in California, because it was the wettest January since 1916.

Fall Seeded Grains Mostly in Statisfactory Condition

The Kansas winter wheat crop was mostly dormant on February 1 but in
good to excellent condition in central and eastern areas where soil moisture
has been ample to excessive. In western Kansas, soil moisture continues
short. ‘he dry area extends into eastern Colorado, the Oklahoma Panhandle,
the northern High Plains of Texas, and the dryland areas of New Mexico. Ex-
cept for the Panhandle, the Oklehoma crop is in good condition. The important
central area has good stands and adequate moisture. Grazing has been some~
what limited because fields were too wet to support cattle much of the time.
The Texas crop needs moisture, especially in the High Plains.

Nebraska wheat was generally snow covered around February 1, but most
of the acreage was exposed to low temperature and strong winds early in the
month. Some Southeastern areas were covered with heavy ice for a time but
damage, if any, is as yet undetermined. In South Dakota, adequate snow~
cover was available around February 1 except in the Southwest where wind
was eroding dry soils. The crop is in generally good condition in the
Central Corn Belt except for some areas where ponding or ice covering is
causing concern.

In the Southeast, below normal temperatures retarded development of
wheat. Rains the latter half of January were welcoue. Winter wheat in the
Pacific Northwest and in Montana was in good condition and was protected
from unusually cold temperatures by good snowcover. January precipitation
was well above normal, and some areas are concerned about damage from ice,
ponding, cr erosion.

Livestock and Feed lies

Livestock were plagued by cold and heavy snow during January with
winter conditions most severe in the Upper Midwest, Montana, and the North-
west. Demands were heavy for supplementai feed, but, except for local areas,
feed supplies are expected to be adequate for the rest of the winter feeding
season. Feeding and caring for livestock have been arduous because drifting
snow made movement of hay and other feed supplies very difficult. Con-
siderable shrinkage occurred, but death losses were not extensive. The pre-
eipitation has brightened spring and summer grazing prospects.

Livestock are wintering well in the Corn Belt. However, feeding con-
ditions were miserable the letter half of the month, because yards and feed-
lots were extremely muddy. Weather was disagreeable for early calving,
lambing, and farrowing with some pneumonia and other losses.

CROP PRODUCTION, February 1969 -3°- Crop Reporting Board, SRS, USDA