Report Features

The next "Crop Production" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on
April 12, 1993.

Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Crops Branch of the

National

Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information.

John D. Witzig, Chief (202) 720-2127
Field Crops Section

Bill Dowdy, Head (202) 720-3843

Herb Eldrige - Sugar, Tobacco, Hay (202) 720-7621

Dan Kerestes - Soybeans, Minor Oilseeds, Rice (202) 720-9526

Dave Mueller - Weekly Crop Weather (202) 720-2157

Vaughn Siegenthaler - Rye, Sorghum, Wheat (202) 720-8068

Charles Van Lahr - Barley, Corn, Oats, Pasture Condition (202) 720-7369
Fruit, Vegetable & Special Crops Section

Steve Ropel, Head (202) 720-3843

Jim Brewster - Fruits, Fresh Vegetables (202) 720-7688

Arvin Budge - Potatoes, Dry Beans, Onions (202) 720-4285

Kirby Cavett - Peanuts (202) 720-8843

Kevin Hintzman - Fruits, Citrus, Nuts (202) 720-5412

Roger Latham - Cotton (202) 720-5944

Dave Mueller - Fresh and Processing Vegetables (202) 720-3843

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

March 1993 14 NASS, USDA


Potatoes: Area Planted, Harvested, Yield, and Production,
by Seasonal Group, State, and Total, 1991-93

Seasonal
Group
and

Yield : Production

Cwt -- 1,000 Cwt --
Winter
CA : 5.3 5.6 5.3 5.6 260 225 #1,127) 1,378 1,260
FL : 8.1 7.7 8.1 7.4 200 180 «361,482 1,620 1,332
Total : 13.4 13.3 13.4 13.0 224 199 2,609 2,998 2,592
Spring 1/ :
AL : 3.6 2.8 3.5 2.7 155 300 543
AZ : 6.4 5.8 6.1 5.8 295 1,770 1,800
CA + 19.3 19.5 19.3 19.5 375 8,284 7,238
FL :
Hastings : 26.0 28.0 25.0 27.5 240 5,130 6,000
Other : 7.1 8.0 7.0 7.8 250 1,470 1,750
NC 217.6 17.7) 17.3. 17.4 200 2,890 3,460
TX 5.3 5.5 4.8 5.3 155 792 744
Total 85.3 87.3 83.0 86.0 259 20,636 21,535

1/ Yield and production for 1993 to be released April 12, 1993.

Papayas: Area and Fresh Production, by Month, Hawaii,
1992 and Forecasted March 1, 1993

Area Fresh Production

Total in Crop Harvested

Month

-- 1,000 Pounds --

Jan : 3,955 3,605 2,025 2,725 5,055 5,130

Feb >: «3,855 3,675 2,150 2,775 4,785 4,760
Mar : 3,945 2,160 4,010

Apr : 3,875 2,190 3,960

May > 3,795 2,190 4,445

Jun : 3,770 2,410 4,940

Cumulative Fresh Production Jan-Feb 9,840 9,890
Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

March 1993 5 NASS, USDA


Arctic air originated over Alaska early in the month and soon infiltrated New
England. After mid-month, cold air poured into the Plains and the Midwest. On
February 2, Anchorage (-22 degrees F) and Fairbanks, AK (-58 degrees F), set
February low temperature marks. By February 7, readings of -14 degrees F in
Albany, NY, and -16 degrees F in Portland, ME, were the coldest readings in

6 and 9 years, respectively. Temperatures fell to as low as -44 degrees F in
northern Vermont. A week later, temperatures briefly soared in southern Texas
in advance of an arctic front. McAllen, TX, attained 95 degrees F on

February 15. But by February 17 and 18, the coldest air of the winter was in
place across the central Plains and the Midwest. The reading of -15 degrees F
in Springfield, IL, was the coldest since December 1989. Northern Florida
experienced its first hard freeze of the winter on February 18, as Jacksonville
registered 26 degrees F. Meanwhile in Alaska, temperatures rebounded to above-
normal levels. Late in the month, a renewed surge of cold air dropped
temperatures to -28 degrees F in Bismarck, ND, ~-24 degrees F in Webster City,
IA, and -22 degrees F in Burns, OR,

Toward month's end, Arizona's Gila River was continuing to absorb unprecedented
levels of runoff from earlier rains and mountain snowmelt. As a result, major
flooding developed below the Painted Rock Dam and extended to the river's
junction at the Colorado River near Yuma. In contrast, little rain has fallen
on the Hawaiian island chain since late December. The sub-tropical fetch of
moisture that has been fueling heavy rainfall in the Southwest was positioned
over Hawaii during December 1992, but has since shifted southward, causing the
2-month dry spell.

Crop Progress: February began with winter wheat in fair to good condition

across the Nation. The crop enjoyed adequate snow cover across
the North and ample to surplus moisture in the South. Some Texas fields had
insect and disease problems. Other fields in the South had stress due to too
Much moisture. Although warm, dry weather early in the month melted some of
the northern snow cover, it allowed southern fields to improve. Continued
precipitation the latter half of the month extended the snow cover in the North
and caused moisture related problems in the South. The citrus harvest advanced
across Florida, Arizona, and California during February. Although storms at
the middle of the month hampered harvest activities in California, the orange
harvest remained steady. Low temperatures the middle of the month in Florida
retarded citrus growth. However, favorable weather returned and brought good
harvest conditions to Florida by the end of the month.

Winter Potatoes: Production of winter potatoes is forecast at 2.59 million,

the same as last month but 14 percent below last year. Area
for harvest, at 13,000 acres, is down 3 percent from last year. The average
yield, forecast at 199 cwt per acre, is down 25 cwt from a year ago.

Harvest of Florida winter potatoes was active in all areas. Harvest began in
Dade County the last week in February. Quality and size are fair to good. In
California, yields are expected to be below last year.

Spring Potatoes: Growers expect to plant an estimated 87,300 acres of spring
potatoes this year in the six major States. Up 2 percent
from last year, this year's acreage is 3 percent below 1991. Harvest is

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 10 NASS, USDA


Citrus Fruit Footnotes
1/ The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with
year harvest is completed.
2/ Net Ibs. per box: oranges-CA & AZ-75, FL-90, TX-85; grapefruit-CA Desert
& AZ~64, CA Other-67, FL-85, TX-80; lemons-76; tangelos, K-Early Citrus
& Temples-90; tangerines-CA and AZ-75, FL-95.

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

4/ Estimates for current year carried forward from earlier forecast.

5/ Due to the severe freeze of December 1989, TX had no commercial production
for the 1990-91 season.

6/ TX estimated at 425 tons for 1991-92.

Z/ The first forecast for CA grapefruit "Other Areas" will be as of April 1.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 7 NASS, USDA


Citrus Fruit:

and United

Utilized Production by Crop, State,
States, 1991-92 and Forecasted March 1, 1993 1/

Utilized Production

Boxes

Utilized
Ton E

1990-91: 1

Production
quivalent

991-92: 1992-93

Oranges
Early Mid &
Navel 3/
AZ 4/
CA
FL
TX 5/
US
Valencia

Temples

Grapefruit
White Seedless

Colored Seedless

Other Areas
Total
FL
TX 5/
US
Tanger ines
AZ 4/
CA 4/
FL
US
Lemons 4/
AZ

CA
US
Tangelos

F
K-Early Citrus
FL

550
15,800
87,500

103,850
1,200
9°800

64; 100
75,100

1,750
25,600
151;600
178,950

2,500

21,700
21,800
1,600
2,400

780
35,100
83,400

20
119,300
1,600
32; 200
56,400
10
90,210
2,380
67,300
139/800
30
209,510
2,350

19,100
22,100
1,200
2,800

850 20

47,000 593
116,000 3,937
400
164,250 4,550
1,300 45
27,000 368
72,000 2,885
60
100,360 3,298
2,150 65
74,000 961
188,000 6,822
460
264,610 7,848
2,700 113
25,000 922
27,000 927
2,000 68
2,400 77
3,500 112
150
262
54,000 1,917
1,600
2,256
900 23
2,700 51
2,700 92
6,300 166
5,200 156
18,000 563
23,200 719
3,100 119
185 7

29 32
1,317 1,763
3,753 5,220

1 17
5,100 7,032

60 49
1,208 1,013
27538 3,240
3,806 4,305

89 81
2,525 2,776
6,291 8,460

1 20
8,906 11,337
106 122
812 1,063
940 «1,148
51 85
89 77
112 112
217
329
1,803 2,296
3 64
2,224
45 34
90 101
123 128
258 263
194 198
574 684
768 882
117 140
7 8

Crop Production
March 1993

Agricultural S$

tatistics Board
NASS, USDA


February Weather Summary: Precipitation continued to accumulate at the highest

rate in a decade in California, and the coldest
airmasses since February and December 1989 covered much of the northern
two-thirds of the Nation. However, storms preceded the coldest outbreaks,
blanketing winter grains with protective snow cover.

Temperatures averaged more than 10 degrees F below normal over parts of

New England, the northern and central Plains, the northern and central Rockies,
and the Harney Basin of Oregon. Above-normal readings were confined to the
southern tier States and the western Great Lakes. Storm systems tended to
bring their warmth and sub-tropical moisture to the Southwest before
overrunning the cold air east of the Rockies. As a result, heavy precipitation
was observed in California and the Southwest, and significant snowfalls
occurred from the central Plains eastward. The cold air also suppressed storms
from reaching the northern tier States, resulting in drier-than normal
conditions in many areas from Washington eastward to northern Wisconsin.

In California, snowstorms continued in the Sierra Nevada at a relentless pace.
The moisture content of the Sierra snowpack stood at 180 percent of normal on
March 1, based on actual measurements and the observations of dozens of
automated sensors. By month's end, snowmelt and runoff at lower elevations
boosted the State's reservoir holdings to 21.3 million acre feet (6.94 trillion
gallons), or 85 percent of normal. Those figures represent an increase from
16.0 million acre feet (5.21 trillion gallons), or 64 percent of normal on
March 1, 1992.

But farther north, the Northwest region (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho)
concluded its 15th driest February and its 17th driest winter since 1895.
Washington was especially dry, notching its second driest February, and its
seventh driest winter. Winter (December 1992 to February 1993) precipitation
in the Northwest was only about 80 percent of normal, representing the 10th
consecutive winter of normal to below-normal precipitation. Nevertheless,
spring snowmelt prospects are better than last year because persistent cold
weather allowed most of the precipitation to fall in the form of snow.

February's anomalous weather pattern in the West provided the opportunity for
some remarkable comparisons. For example, Yuma, AZ, (normal annual rainfall] of
about 3 inches), received a monthly total rainfall of 1.22 inches, which topped
the total of 0.87 inches in Quillayute, WA (normal annual rainfall of more than
100 inches). Since this pattern existed throughout most of the winter,
seasonal rainfall totals in locations such as Los Angeles, CA (20 inches), and
Phoenix, AZ (nearly 10 inches), exceeded those in Portland, OR (9 inches), and
Seattle, WA (nearly 9 inches). In Las Vegas, NV, year-to-date rainfall through
the end of February (4.15 inches) already surpassed the normal annual value
(4.13 inches).

Farther east, a steady progression of storms produced several significant
snowfall events. Evansville, IN (16 inches), Columbia, MO (20 inches), and
Cleveland, OH (39 inches), were among the cities to set February snowfall
records. Dodge City, KS, will remember 1992-93 as the snowiest winter on
record. Through March 1, more than 58 inches had fallen. But farther north,
Sault Sainte Marie, MI, had its sunniest, driest February on record.
Conditions were not nearly as pleasant in Caribou, ME, which had its coldest
February, averaging 4.2 degrees F.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 9 NASS, USDA


Crop by erialtaral
Production Service

United States
Department of
Agriculture
Washington, D.C.

Released March 10, 1993, by the Agricultural Statistics Board. Forecasts
refer to March 1, 1993.

Citrus Up 26 Percent

Citrus production is forecast at 15.3 million tons, up slightly from last month
and 26 percent more than last season. A large increase in the Florida orange
crop is responsible for the rise in citrus production from last year.

Orange production is forecast at 11.3 million tons, up slightly from February 1
and 27 percent more than last season's crop. This month's increase is due to
slight increases in the California and Texas Valencia crops. A significant
increase in the size of the Florida orange crop over last year is the primary
reason for the rise at the U.S. level.

Grapefruit production, including California's Desert grapefruit but excluding
California's "Other Areas" crop, is 2.55 million tons, up slightly from the
February 1 forecast and 27 percent more than last season. An increase in the
Texas forecast is the only change from last month. The increase over last
Season at the U.S. level is primarily due to a much larger grapefruit crop in
Florida.

Winter potato production is forecast at 2.59 million cwt, the same as last
month but 14 percent below a year ago and 1 percent below 1991. The Florida
winter harvest is active in all areas. Quality and size are fair to good.
California's harvest is continuing normally.

Spring potato plantings total an estimated 87,300 acres this year, up 2 percent
from a year ago but 3 percent below 1991. Planting is mostly completed across
the South. Harvest should begin in mid-March.

Report features are located at the end of this report. For information call
(202) 720-2127. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.

Cr Pr 2-2 (3-93)


Florida Frozen Concentrated Juice Yield: All orange FCOJ projected yield has
been increased to a record high

1.57 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix concentrate. The projected yield for

early and mid-season varieties has also been increased to 1.52 gallons per box.

The 1991-92 season's final yield for mid-season varieties was 1.47. The

Valencia yield of 1.66 gallons per box is also up this month. Last season's

final yield for Valencias was a record high 1.70 gallons per box.

Grapefruit: The 1992-93 U.S. grapefruit crop (excluding California Other

Areas) is forecast at 2.55 million tons, up slightly from last
month and up 27 percent over last year. Last year, California's "Other Areas"
grapefruit crop totaled 217,000 tons (6.50 million boxes). The first forecast
for that type of grapefruit will be made as of April 1, 1993.

The March 1 forecast for Florida's all grapefruit crop remains at 54.0 million
boxes, unchanged from February 1 but 27 percent more than last year. Harvest
was over 48 percent complete as of March 1.

The Florida white seedless grapefruit forecast is 25.0 million boxes, unchanged
from February 1 but 31 percent above last season. The colored seedless
forecast is 27.0 million boxes, also unchanged from the previous forecast but
22 percent more than the 1991-92 crop. The seedy grapefruit crop is expected
to reach 2.00 million boxes, a 67 percent increase over last season. Movement
of white and colored grapefruit averaged more than 2.00 million boxes per week
during February. Harvest of seedless grapefruit is approximately 49 percent
complete.

The California Desert and Arizona forecasts of 3.50 million boxes and
2.40 million boxes, respectively, were carried forward from January 1.

The Texas grapefruit forecast increased 23 percent from last month to

1.60 million boxes. The Texas citrus industry continues to recover from
devastating freezes during the 1980's. Harvest conditions were good during
February and over 50 percent of the crop has been moved.

Tangelos: The 1992-93 Florida tangelo crop is forecast at 3.10 million boxes,
up 3 percent from February 1 and 19 percent more than last season.
Harvest is complete.

Tangerines: The 1992-93 U.S. tangerine crop forecast is 263,000 tons,
unchanged from February 1 but up 2 percent from last season.

The Florida tangerine forecast is 2.70 million boxes, also unchanged from the
previous month but up 4 percent from last season's crop. The early and Dancy
tangerine harvests are complete. The Honey tangerine harvest is 73 percent
complete while al] tangerine harvest is 87 percent complete. The California
and Arizona forecasts of 2.70 million boxes and 900,000 boxes, respectively,
were carried forward from January 1.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 12 NASS, USDA


expected from 86,000 acres, 4 percent above a year ago Florida's spring
potatoes have started to bloom. Harvest in the Hastings area should begin
about April 15th. In the Texas Rio Grande Valley, potatoes are developing on
time and look good. Some San Antonio - Winter Garden fields are not up yet.
Planting in Alabama is progressing and early fields are doing well. North
Carolina's potatoes were 12 percent planted by early March. California's
acreage is up 1 percent from last year and the crop is developing nicely.

Papayas: Hawaii fresh papaya production is estimated at 4.76 million pounds

for February, 7 percent lower than January and 1 percent lower than
February 1992. Total production for the first two months of 1993 was 1 percent
more than the same period a year ago. Weather conditions were mostly dry and
cool during February slowing fruit development. Strong winds in the first week
of the month caused light damage by toppling some trees.

Area devoted to papaya production totaled 3,675 acres, 2 percent more than
January but 5 percent less than February a year ago. Harvested area, totaling
2,775 acres, was 2 percent higher than last month and 29 percent higher than
Jast February.

Oranges: The March 1 forecast of U.S. orange production is 11.3 million tons,
up slightly from last month and up 27 percent from last season.

The forecast for all Florida oranges is 188 million boxes, unchanged from
February 1 but up 34 percent from last season. Production of early and mid-
season varieties is forecast at 116 million boxes, unchanged from last month
but up 39 percent from last year. Harvest is approximately 92 percent
complete. Over seven million boxes of fruit per week were harvested during
February. Valencia production is expected to total 72.0 million boxes,
unchanged from last month but 28 percent more than last season's crop. Fruit
set is heavy this year but sizes on all oranges are smaller than normal.

California's 1992-93 all orange forecast is 74.0 million boxes, up 1 percent
from last month and 10 percent more than last year. The Navel crop in
California is expected to total a record high 47.0 million boxes, unchanged
from February 1 but 34 percent more than last season. About one-half of the
crop has been picked to date. Above average rainfall this winter has caused
some fruit droppage. California's Valencia forecast is 27.0 million boxes, up
4 percent from February 1 but down 16 percent from last season's large crop.
The crop is maturing well but fruit set is less than a year ago. Harvest has
begun in the desert and in the Central Valley.

The Arizona all orange crop is expected to total 2.15 million boxes, down

10 percent from last season. The Arizona forecast was carried forward from
January 1. The 1992-93 Texas all orange forecast is 460,000 boxes, up

2 percent from last month. Last season's production was 30,000 boxes. Harvest
of early and mid-season varieties is virtually complete and Valencia picking is
underway. Trees continue to recover from the December 1989 freeze.

The March 1 U.S. all orange production forecast has deviated from final
production by an average of 205,000 tons over the past 10 seasons, ranging from
a low of 8,000 tons in 1987-88 to a high of 518,000 tons in 1989-90.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 11 NASS, USDA


Use

State

Sugarcane:

Area Harvested, Yield, and Production,

by Use, State, and United States, 1990-92

Area Harvested
and att att ate naan ad atta tata meal een

1992

Yield 1/

Production

V/

For Sugar :
FL :
HI 2/

LA 2/
TX 2/

US

For Seed
FL
HI 2/
LA 2/
TX 2/

US

For Sugar :
and Seed :
FL
HI 2/
LA 2/
TX 2/

428.
67.
321.
33.

849.
15.
6.
24.
1.

47.

443.

w NOMS

450.

P POCO

Homo

34

30.
22.
20.

27.

Ww COFww

33.
26.
22.
23.

26.

14,874 14,937
6,538 5,857
4,150 7,090

913 1,076

26,475 28,960

533 524
185 204
906 530

37 34

1,661 1,292

15,407 15,461
6,723 6,061
5,056 7,620

950 1,110

28,136 30,252

14,539
5,824
7,763
1,309

29,435
536
169
675

37

1,417

1/ Net tons.

2/ Current estimate carried forward

Crop Producti
March 1993

on

from earlier forecast.

Agricultural Statistics Board

NASS, USDA


Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States, 1991-92
(Domestic Units)

Area Planted Area Harvested

Crop [recta ne nnn nee nee ene
1991 1992 1991 1992
1,000 Acres
Sugarcane for :
Sugar and Seed : 896.9 934.5

Crop Summary: Yield per Acre and Production, United States, 1990-92
(Domestic Units)

Sugarcane for :
Sugar and Seed : 33.7 33.0 28,136 30,252 30,852

Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States, 1991-92
(Metric Units)

Hectares
Sugarcane for :
Sugar and Seed : 362,970 378,180

Crop Summary: Yield per Hectare and Production, United States, 1990-92
(Metric Units)

Metric Tons
Sugarcane for :
Sugar and Seed : 75.61 74.01 25,524,550 27,444,150 27,988,460

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 4 NASS, USDA



W Want to subscribe? vf Time to renew?

Subscribe to Crop Production today! If you already subscribe to this timely periodical, note that expiration
information about your subscription appears on the top line of your mailing label. Expiration information will
appear in one of three formats: 1-PCP-2 (this means you have TWO issues remaining in your subscription)
‘or 940430 (expiration date is April 30, 1994) or APR94 (expiration date is April 1994). Disregard this notice if no
renewal information appears. Call toll free,1-800-999-6779, and tell us whether you want to subscribe or
renew, or retum this form to: ERS-NASS, 341 Victory Drive, Herndon, VA 22070.

Crop Production

1 Year 2 Years 3 Years

Q Yes! | want to start my subscription. Domestic (1 $4200 O $8200 © $122.00
Q Yes! | want to renew my subscription. Foreign O $5250 O$10250 O $15250
New subscribers: Renewals:
Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip: ATTACH MAILING LABEL HERE
Daytime phone: ( —)
Payment method:
2 Bill me. Use purchase orders, checks drawn on U.S. banks,

cashier's checks, or international money orders. Make
Q Enciosedis$____—_«.~S=s payable to ERS-NASS.
Credit card orders: © MasterCard O Visa Total charges $. .
eran cartiumter: [TT TT TT TTT TTT TTT} cartossiation cate: [TF

Taonev oar
For fastest service, call our toll-free order desk 1-800-999-6779,
in the U.S. and Canada; other areas please call 703-834-0125,
or FAX this page to 703-834-0110.



Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States,
1992 and Forecasted March 1, 1993
(Metric Units)

Area Planted Area Harvested

Hectares
Potatoes 2
Winter : 5,420 5,380 5,420 5,260
Spring : 34,520 35,330 33,590 34,800

Crop Summary: Yield per Hectare and Production, United States,
1992 and Forecasted March 1, 1993

1992: 1993 : 1992 : 1993 : 1993

Metric Tons

Potatoes :
Winter 2 25.09 22.35 135,990 117,570 117,570
Spring : 29.08 976,810
: 1991-92 1992-93 1992-93
Oranges 1/ 10,249,370 10,284,750

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

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 3 NASS, USDA


Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States,
1992 and Forecasted March 1, 1993
(Domestic Units)

Area Planted Area Harvested

Crop peccccce-os-. -~ alee
1992 1993 1993
Potatoes 3
Winter : 13.4 13.3 13.4 13.0
Spring : 85.3 87.3 83.0 86.0

Crop Summary: Yield per Acre and Production, United States,
1992 and Forecasted March 1, 1993
(Domestic Units)

Production

Feb 1, : Mar I,

1,000 ----
Potatoes :
Winter cwt : 224 «199 2,998 2,592 2,592
Spring wo 259 21,535
: 1991-92 1992-93 1992-93
Oranges 1/ Ton : 8,906 11,298 11,337

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

This report was approved on March 10, 1993, by the Secretary of Agriculture and
the National Agricultural Statistics Service's Agricultural Statistics Board.

| Col Ki MA

icting/ Secretary o Agricultural Statistics Board
Agriculture Chairperson
Keith J. Collins Rich Allen
Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board

March 1993 2 NASS, USDA


Temples: The March 1 forecast for the 1992-93 Florida Temple crop is

2.70 million boxes, unchanged from February 1 but 15 percent more
than last season. Temple harvest averaged over 200,000 boxes per week during
February and is approximately 60 percent complete.

Florida Citrus: Groves and trees were in good condition during February.

Moisture was adequate to surplus. Most east coast groves
received above average rainfall and some areas reported more than twice the
normal amount. New growth and bud development progressed. Some Valencia and
Navel oranges and Orlando tangelos had a lot of open bloom. Many young tree
groves had a full, open bloom. Honey bees for pollination were active in
virtually all areas.

Weather was generally ideal for picking crews during February. Harvest of
early and mid-season oranges was active last month as utilization averaged more
than 7.00 million boxes per week. As of March 1, there was slightly less than
9.00 million boxes of the early and mid-season oranges remaining to be picked.
Seedless grapefruit harvest during February averaged more than 2.00 million
boxes per week. By the end of the month, there were more than 26.0 million
boxes or almost 52 percent of the seedless grapefruit remaining to be moved.
Tangelo harvest ended during February. Temple harvest averaged over 200,000
boxes per week and harvest is 61 percent complete. Honey tangerine harvest
slowed with only 27 percent of this crop remaining. Movement of Honeys during
February averaged a little more than 100,000 boxes per week.

Texas Citrus: Conditions remained good throughout the Valley during February.
As of March 1, there was essentially no chance of a severe
freeze. The bloom cycle for the 1993-94 crop began and looks good. Harvest
of early and mid-season oranges is virtually complete. Valencia orange
harvest is underway, while grapefruit harvest is over 50 percent finished.

California Fruits and Nuts: Significant rainfall fell over the State during
February. A series of heavy, wet storms caused
flooding and landslides in some areas. Resulting wet conditions drastically
slowed or halted cultural practices and orchard activities (pruning, weed
control, dormant spraying, and tree replanting). Harvesting of avocados,
lemons, Desert grapefruit, and tangerines progressed despite the conditions.
Rains severely slowed Navel orange harvest. Date harvest was completed.
Kiwifruit, grapes, and apples were marketed from cold storage. Bud swell and
bloom occurred in almonds, early variety apricots, peaches, plums, and
nectarines. An early bloom was delayed due to the cool, wet conditions. As
blooms appeared, beekeepers moved hives into orchards for pollination. Some
growers were concerned about inadequate pollination due to rain during bloom.

Sugarcane: The 1992 production of sugarcane for sugar and seed is forecast at
a record high 30.9 million tons. This is unchanged from the

February "Crop Production" report but represents a 2 percent increase from
last year's output. The Florida forecast was evaluated and resulted in no
change to production. Heavy rains in past weeks have caused some delay in
harvest activities. Mills expect to be complete around the second week of
April, a month later than usual. The forecast for Hawaii, Louisiana, and
Texas were carried forward from an earlier forecast.

Crop Production Agricultural Statistics Board
March 1993 13 NASS, USDA