HDR1012000140040820961300CRANBERRIES                                            
Cranberries                                                                     
National                                                                        
Agricultural                                                                    
Statistics                                                                      
Service                                                                         
                                                                                
United States                                                                   
Department of                                                                   
Agriculture                                                                     
                                                                                
Washington, D.C.                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Released August 20, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service       
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For     
information on "Cranberries" call Howard Hill at (202) 720-7235, office hours   
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.  For assistance with general agricultural statistics,
information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS Information  
Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV.                        
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
             1996 Cranberry Production Up 15 Percent                            
                                                                                
                                                                                
The forecast for the 1996 cranberry crop is 4.835 million barrels, up 15 percent
from 1995 and 3 percent more than 1994.  If realized, this will be the largest  
crop on record. Increased crop potential is expected in all states with         
Massachusetts and Wisconsin leading the way.                                    
                                                                                
The Massachusetts crop is forecast at 1.97 million barrels, up 24 percent from  
1995 and 1 percent more than 1994. Crop prospects are excellent. Mild conditions
last winter followed by plentiful rains throughout the spring and summer have   
been beneficial to the crop. Bloom and set were above average. Berry size is    
reported as mostly medium. Insect and disease damage has been fairly light.     
                                                                                
New Jersey expects a crop of 525,000 barrels, 16 percent more than last year but
6 percent less than 1994.  Weather conditions have been fairly good for         
cranberry production. Bloom was rated between average and heavy while fruit set 
was about average.  Berry size is medium. No unusual problems were reported.    
                                                                                
In Oregon, the crop is forecast at 270,000 barrels, 59 percent above last year's
crop but 18 percent below 1994.  Crop development is normal along the southern  
coast, except one county where 300 acres were damaged from a severe hail storm. 
                                                                                
The Washington crop is forecast at 180,000 barrels, 2 percent above last year   
but 11 percent less than 1994. Western Washington state had another mild winter 
and little to no frost damage.  Cool, wet conditions followed in early spring   
causing a late bloom. Herbicide applications were delayed or prevented, and bees
were held late on some bogs. Berry size is average, with some reports of small  
fruit. Black vine weevil and fireworms continue to be of concern to Washington  
cranberry growers. Crop prospects look good, but not excellent.                 
                                                                                
Production in Wisconsin is forecast at a record high 1.89 million barrels,      
5 percent above 1995 and 15 percent above 1994.  Increased production is        
expected due to expanded area for harvest and slightly better yields. However,  
expected yields vary throughout the state due to a combination of spotty heavy  
rains, a late winter, and not enough warm weather for berries to set. Berries   
will be smaller with less color.                                                
      1995 Production Down 10 Percent; Value down 6 Percent                     
                                                                                
                                                                                
Production of cranberries in the United States in 1995 totaled 4.19 million     
barrels, down 10 percent from 1994.  The area harvested, at 32,800 acres,       
increased 5 percent from the previous year.  The average yield of 127.8 barrels 
per acre was 22.7 barrels per acre less than the previous year.  The average    
price per barrel increased $2.40 from 1994 to $51.70.  Value of production      
decreased 6 percent to $217 million.                                            
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
      Cranberries:  Production, by State, and United States,                    
                   1994-95 and Forecasted 1996                                  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
                        :                       Total Production                
           State        :----------------------------------------------------   
                        :         1994            1995 1/               1996    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
                        :                       Barrels                         
                        :                                                       
   MA                   :    1,952,000          1,592,000          1,970,000    
   NJ                   :      558,000            454,000            525,000    
   OR                   :      330,000            170,000            270,000    
   WA                   :      202,000            177,000            180,000    
   WI                   :    1,640,000          1,800,000          1,890,000    
                        :                                                       
   US                   :    4,682,000          4,193,000          4,835,000    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
 1/ Revised                                                                     
Cranberries:  Area Harvested, Yield, Total and Utilized Production,             
               by State and United States, 1994-95                              
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
    Year    :            :                  :           Production              
    and     :    Area    :     Yield        :---------------------------------  
   State    :  Harvested :    per Acre      :      Total     :   Utilized       
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
            :    Acres         ------------------ Barrels ---------------       
            :                                                                   
  1994      :                                                                   
   MA       :    13,500        144.6             1,952,000      1,952,000       
   NJ       :     3,300        169.1               558,000        558,000       
   OR       :     1,700        194.1               330,000        330,000       
   WA       :     1,500        134.7               202,000        202,000       
   WI       :    11,100        147.7             1,640,000      1,640,000       
            :                                                                   
   US       :    31,100        150.5             4,682,000      4,682,000       
            :                                                                   
  1995      :                                                                   
   MA 1/    :    14,100        112.9             1,592,000      1,592,000       
   NJ 1/    :     3,500        129.7               454,000        454,000       
   OR       :     1,700        100.0               170,000        170,000       
   WA       :     1,500        118.0               177,000        177,000       
   WI 1/    :    12,000        150.0             1,800,000      1,800,000       
            :                                                                   
   US 1/    :    32,800        127.8             4,193,000      4,193,000       
            :---------------------------------------------------------------    
            :                                    :          :                   
            :            Utilization             :  Price   :     Value of      
            :------------------------------------:   per    :     Utilized      
            :   Fresh   : Processed :Shrinkage 2/: Barrel 3/:    Production     
            :-----------------------------------------------------------------  
            :   ----------- Barrels ----------      Dollars     1,000 Dollars   
            :                                                                   
  1994      :                                                                   
   MA       :    99,000    1,831,000    22,000       50.60         98,771       
   NJ       :                554,000     4,000       46.60         26,003       
   OR       :                330,000                 46.80         15,444       
   WA       :    29,000      173,000                 46.80          9,453       
   WI       :    88,000    1,527,000    25,000       49.50         81,124       
            :                                                                   
   US       :   216,000    4,415,000    51,000       49.30        230,795       
            :                                                                   
  1995      :                                                                   
   MA       :    97,000    1,472,000    23,000       53.40         85,013       
   NJ       :                450,000     4,000       48.80         22,155       
   OR       :                170,000                 48.20          8,194       
   WA       :    23,000      154,000                 48.20          8,532       
   WI       :   122,000    1,612,000    66,000       51.70         93,017       
            :                                                                   
   US       :   242,000    3,858,000    93,000       51.70        216,911       
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
1/ Revised                                                                      
2/ Cranberries paid for by processors and lost because of dehydration and       
   berry breakdown after delivery.                                              
3/ Weighted average of co-op and independent sales.  Co-op prices represent     
   pool proceeds excluding returns from non-cranberry products and before any   
   deductions for capital stock and other retains.                              
The next "Cranberries" report will be released in August 1997.                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
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    
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program         
information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA     
Office of Communications at (202) 720-5881 (voice) or (202) 720-7808 (TDD).     
                                                                                
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington, D.C.,
20250, or call (202) 720-7327 (voice) or (202) 720-1127 (TDD).  USDA is an equal
employment opportunity employer.                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                         SUBSCRIBE TODAY!!                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports,  data      
products, and services:                                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                
                          INTERNET ACCESS                                       
                                                                                
All NASS reports are now available free of charge on the worldwide Internet.    
For access, connect to the Internet and select:                                 
                                                                                
     1.   Worldwide Web:  http://www.usda.gov/nass/       OR                    
                                                                                
     2.   For Gopher/Telenet/FTP access:                                        
          HOST=usda.mannlib.cornell.edu        OR                               
                                                                                
     3.   For a subscription direct to your e-mail address,                     
          send an e-mail message to:  usda-reports@usda.mannlib.cornell.edu     
          and in the body of the message type the word:  list                   
                                                                                
                                                                                
                           AUTOFAX ACCESS                                       
                                                                                
          NASSFax service is available for some reports from your fax machine.  
          Please call 202-720-2000, using the handset attached to your fax.     
          Respond to the voice prompts.                                         
                                                                                
     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      
                                                                                
                  PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS                              
CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK:   1-800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada)               
Other areas, please call l-703-834-0125        FAX:  1-703-834-0110             
 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.)              
                                                                                
     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      
                                                                                
                             ASSISTANCE                                         
                                                                                
For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about
NASS or its products or services, contact the NASS INFORMATION HOTLINE at       
1-800-727-9540, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or e-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV.          
                                                                                
END OF FILE