HDR1012000140060117971500VEGETABLES                                             
Vegetables                                                                      
                                                                                
National                                                                        
Agricultural                                                                    
Statistics                                                                      
Service                                                                         
                                                                                
USDA                                                                            
Washington, D.C.                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Released January 17, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service      
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For     
information on "Vegetables" call Dave Mueller at (202) 720-2157, office hours   
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.  For assistance with general agricultural statistics,
information about NASS, its products or services, contact the Agricultural      
Statistics Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV.             
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                  Fresh Vegetable Down 2 Percent                                
               Spring Onion Acreage off 11 Percent                              
              Winter Strawberry Acreage Up 100 Acres                            
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
The prospective area for harvest of 13 selected fresh market vegetables during  
the winter quarter is forecast at 192,000 acres.  This is 2 percent less than   
last year but 7 percent greater than in 1995.  Acreage declines in cabbage,     
sweet corn, escarole/endive, head lettuce, bell peppers, spinach, and tomatoes  
more than offset acreage increases in broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery,   
and eggplant.  Spinach, cabbage, and bell peppers showed the largest percentage 
decreases while eggplant, cauliflower, and broccoli had the largest percentage  
increases.                                                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
Acres planted for spring onions, at 36,400 acres was down 11 percent from 1996  
and 2 percent less than in 1995.  Acreage declined  in all 4 states.            
                                                                                
                                                                                
Winter strawberry acreage is estimated at 6,100 acres, up 100 acres from last   
year and two years ago.                                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Vg 1-1 (1-97)                                                                   
         Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons:  Area for Harvest         
                       by Season, Major States, 1995-1997                       
                                (Domestic Units)                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                          Area                          
          Crop         :--------------------------------------------------------
          and          :              Harvested              :       For        
         Season        :-------------------------------------:     Harvest      
                       :       1995       :       1996       :       1997       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                         Acres                          
                       :                                                        
Snap Beans             :      13,000             10,000             10,000      
Broccoli 1/            :      28,000             27,500             29,000      
Cabbage                :      12,000             13,500             10,300      
Carrots                :      22,400             28,800             30,500      
Cauliflower 1/         :       9,000              8,500              9,500      
Celery 1/              :       6,600              6,400              6,900      
Sweet Corn             :       4,900              5,800              5,500      
Eggplant               :         800                600                700      
Escarole/Endive        :         650                850                700      
Head Lettuce           :      60,200             73,500             71,000      
Bell Pepper 1/         :       6,000              6,000              4,800      
Spinach                :       2,600              2,800              2,100      
Tomatoes               :      13,700             11,700             11,000      
                       :                                                        
Total Winter Crop      :     179,850            195,950            192,000      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Includes fresh market and processing.                                       
                                                                                
         Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons:  Area for Harvest         
                       by Season, Major States, 1995-1997                       
                                 (Metric Units)                                 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                          Area                          
          Crop         :--------------------------------------------------------
          and          :              Harvested              :       For        
         Season        :-------------------------------------:     Harvest      
                       :       1995       :       1996       :       1997       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                        Hectares                        
                       :                                                        
Snap Beans             :       5,260              4,050              4,050      
Broccoli 1/            :      11,330             11,130             11,740      
Cabbage                :       4,860              5,460              4,170      
Carrots                :       9,070             11,660             12,340      
Cauliflower 1/         :       3,640              3,440              3,840      
Celery 1/              :       2,670              2,590              2,790      
Sweet Corn             :       1,980              2,350              2,230      
Eggplant               :         320                240                280      
Escarole/Endive        :         260                340                280      
Head Lettuce           :      24,360             29,740             28,730      
Bell Pepper 1/         :       2,430              2,430              1,940      
Spinach                :       1,050              1,130                850      
Tomatoes               :       5,540              4,730              4,450      
                       :                                                        
Total Winter Crop      :      72,770             79,290             77,690      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Includes fresh market and processing.                                       
                                                                                
         Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons:  Area for Harvest         
                by Crop, State, and Total, Winter Season, 1995-97               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     :         :               Area                :            
         Crop        :  Usual  :-----------------------------------:    1997    
         and         : Harvest :       Harvested       :    For    : as Percent 
        State        : Period  :-----------------------:  Harvest  :  of 1996   
                     :         :   1995    :   1996    :   1997    :            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     :         :  ------------ Acres -----------      Percent   
                     :         :                                                
Snap Beans           :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :   13,000      10,000      10,000        100    
                     :         :                                                
Broccoli 1/          :         :                                                
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :   28,000      27,500      29,000        105    
                     :         :                                                
Cabbage              :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :    5,000       5,000       4,000         80    
  TX                 : Jan-Mar :    7,000       8,500       6,300         74    
  Total              :         :   12,000      13,500      10,300         76    
                     :         :                                                
Carrots              :         :                                                
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :   15,700      21,500      23,000        107    
  FL                 : Nov-Mar :    3,600       3,900       5,100        131    
  TX                 : Dec-Mar :    3,100       3,400       2,400         71    
  Total              :         :   22,400      28,800      30,500        106    
                     :         :                                                
Cauliflower 1/       :         :                                                
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :    9,000       8,500       9,500        112    
                     :         :                                                
Celery 1/            :         :                                                
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :    6,600       6,400       6,900        108    
                     :         :                                                
Sweet Corn           :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :    4,900       5,800       5,500         95    
                     :         :                                                
Eggplant             :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :      800         600         700        117    
                     :         :                                                
Escarole/Endive      :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :      650         850         700         82    
                     :         :                                                
Head Lettuce         :         :                                                
  AZ - Western       : Nov-Apr :   41,700      57,000      54,000         95    
  CA                 : Dec-Apr :   18,500      16,500      17,000        103    
  Total              :         :   60,200      73,500      71,000         97    
                     :         :                                                
Bell Pepper 1/       :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :    6,000       6,000       4,800         80    
                     :         :                                                
Spinach              :         :                                                
  TX                 : Jan-Mar :    2,600       2,800       2,100         75    
                     :         :                                                
Tomatoes             :         :                                                
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :   13,700      11,700      11,000         94    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Includes fresh market and processing.                                       
                                                                                
                                                                                
             Onions and Strawberries for Fresh Market:  Area Planted            
                and Harvested by Crop, Season, and Total, 1995-97               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Crop,     :        Planted Area         :         Harvested Area          
     Season,    :---------------------------------------------------------------
       and      :         :         :         :         :         : For Harvest 
      State     :  1995   :  1996   :  1997   :  1995   :  1996   :    1997     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             Acres                             
                :                                                               
Onions 1/       :                                                               
  Spring        :                                                               
    AZ 2/       :  1,400     2,100     1,900     1,400     1,900                
    CA 2/       :  8,000     7,500     7,000     7,500     7,200                
    GA          : 12,800    16,000    15,500    12,500    14,700      15,000    
    TX          : 15,100    15,300    12,000    14,200    13,000      11,000    
    Total       : 37,300    40,900    36,400    35,600    36,800      26,000    
                :                                                               
Strawberries 3/ :                                                               
  Winter        :                                                               
    FL          :  6,000     6,000     6,100     6,000     6,000       6,100    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Primarily fresh market.                                                     
2/  1997 - planting intentions - harvested acreage published April 9, 1997.     
3/  Includes fresh market and processing.                                       
                                                                                
Snap Beans:  Florida acreage for harvest is forecast at 10,000 acres, unchanged 
             from last year but 23 percent less than 1995.  Planting and        
harvesting remained active. The crop was in mostly good condition and quality   
was good. The weather has been good to the crop except for some cold wind damage
in the southwest in late December.                                              
                                                                                
                                                                                
Broccoli:  California acreage is estimated at 29,000 acres, 5 percent more than 
           last year and 4 percent greater than 1995. Abnormally cool weather   
hindered crop development while the wet fields have slowed fieldwork.  The crop 
looks good but could use some warmer weather.                                   
                                                                                
                                                                                
Cabbage:  Winter acreage for harvest is estimated at 10,300 acres, 24 percent   
          less than last year and 14 percent below the 1995 level.  In Florida, 
rains from Tropical Storm Josephine and Hurricane Lili hampered germination and 
crop development in some areas in early fall.  Warmer, drier conditions during  
late October aided growth. The crop escaped major damage from near freezing     
temperatures during early-to-mid November and again around mid-December.        
Significant rainfall in early December caused very little  damage to the crop.  
Harvest began about mid-December with good quality and yield prospects reported 
by growers.                                                                     
                                                                                
                                                                                
Carrots:  Acreage for harvest is forecast at 30,500 acres, up 6 percent from    
          last year and 36 percent greater than in 1995.  In California, wet    
weather provided abundant moisture but  led to an increase in weeds.  Growers   
reported that the crop was in good condition.                                   
                                                                                
                                                                                
Cauliflower:  California acreage is forecast at 9,500 acres up 12 percent from  
              1996 and 6 percent above 1995. Wet weather provided abundant      
moisture but led to an increase in weeds.  Warmer temperatures were needed to   
improve crop conditions in some fields, but overall the crop was rated good.    
                                                                                
                                                                                
Celery:  The winter celery crop acreage for harvest in California is estimated  
         to be at 6,900 acres, 8 percent above 1996 and 5 percent above the 1995
crop.  Recent wet weather caused harvest delays along the coast and in southern 
areas.                                                                          
                                                                                
                                                                                
Sweet Corn:  Florida harvested acreage is estimated at 5,500 acres, down        
             5 percent from last year but 12 percent more than in 1995.         
Rainfall from Hurricane Lili caused no significant damage to plants around      
mid-October,  but did delay some fieldwork and leached some fertilizer from some
fields. Milder weather from late October into early November aided crop         
development. Windy weather around mid-November caused some plant damage along   
the east coast region.  Drier and  mostly warm weather from late November until 
mid-December allowed fieldwork  to progress normally. Cold, winter temperatures 
arrived around mid-December but caused no significant damage to the acreage     
around Lake Okeechobee and in Dade county.                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
Eggplant:  Acreage for winter harvest in Florida at 700 acres,  was 17 percent  
           greater than in 1996 but 12 percent less than in 1995.  Weather and  
growing conditions have been mostly favorable. Some minor wind damage occurred  
in some fields.   However, producers reported that the crop had good grade and  
yield.                                                                          
                                                                                
Escarole/Endive:  The harvested acreage of  Florida's  winter crop of escarole  
                  and endive is forecast at 700 acres, 18 percent below last    
year but 8 percent greater than in 1995.  Heavy rainfall caused by  Tropical    
Storm Josephine and Hurricane Lili in early-to-mid October damaged some plants  
but most recovered  in the milder weather.                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
Lettuce:  Acreage for harvest is forecast at 71,000 acres in Arizona and        
          California.  Harvested 1997 acreage in the two states is 3 percent    
below last year, but 18 percent above their 1995 total.  Wet weather in         
California lead to an increase in weeds in some areas. The crop was in generally
good condition but warmer temperatures were needed.                             
                                                                                
                                                                                
Onions:  Growers intend to plant 36,400 acres of spring onions for 1997, a      
         decrease of 11 percent from 1996 and 2 percent less than the 1995 acres
planted.  In Texas, acreage was down due to producer concerns over the          
availability of irrigation water.  In California, wet grounds had delayed some  
plantings and promoted weed growth in some fields.  Producers in Georgia rated  
their crop condition as fair.                                                   
                                                                                
                                                                                
Bell Peppers:  Florida winter acreage for harvest is estimated at 4,800 acres,  
               20 percent less than last year and two years ago. Rainy, windy   
weather from Tropical Storm Josephine caused some foliage damage and reduced    
yield prospects.   Heavy rainfall  again reduced crop prospects when Hurricane  
Lili passed to the south about mid-October. Drier weather from late October     
through early November allowed most plants to recover.  Windy, cooler weather   
during mid-November slowed fruit setting and sizing, caused foliage to burn,    
increased bloom loss, and scarred some fruit in southern fields. Milder weather 
from late November into early December boosted crop development and allowed     
transplanting to proceed on schedule in the east coast and southwestern regions.
Cold winds near mid-December again caused some crop damage with most plants     
recovering well  in the warm, calm conditions existing from late December into  
early January.                                                                  
                                                                                
                                                                                
Spinach:  The harvested acres of winter spinach for 1997 is forecast at         
          2,100 acres in Texas.  This is 25 percent below 1996 and 19 percent   
less acreage than 1995.  Dry conditions and producer concerns about the         
availability of irrigation water accounted for the acreage decline.             
                                                                                
                                                                                
Strawberries:  Florida winter acreage is estimated at 6,100 acres, 100 acres    
               greater than last year and two years ago.  Crop development has  
proceeded favorably thus far, with no major weather problems reported.  A good  
volume, high quality crop was expected.                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                
Tomatoes:  Florida acreage is forecasted at 11,000 acres, down 6 percent from   
           last year and 20 percent below 1995.  Heavy rains and strong winds   
caused by the southern passage of Hurricane Lili around mid-October increased   
bloom drop which lowered the late fall and early winter crop yield potential.   
Cold, windy weather around mid-November caused  plant dehydration and foliage to
burn and break in many southern localities, but most younger plants escaping    
significant damage. Mild weather allowed fieldwork to progress on schedule from 
the last part of November through most of the first half of December.  Heavy    
rain at the end of the first week of December slowed some activity in all       
southern areas. Most southern peninsula acreage escaped damage from a winter    
cold spell that arrived after mid-December.                                     
The next "Vegetables" report will be released at 3:00 p.m. ET on April 9, 1997. 
                                                                                
                                                                                
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          USDA Announces Agricultural Outlook Forum  97                         
                     February 24 and 25, 1997                                   
              Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C.                             
                                                                                
An era of freer markets under the 1996 Farm Bill has begun.  For an expert      
assessment of the impact, attend the Outlook Forum.  Top speakers will discuss  
the 1997 farm outlook, prospects to 2005, risk management, concentration issues,
market stability, world food security, marketing high-valued exports and more.  
Plan now to attend.   For program and registration details, check Forum home    
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                           Agricultural                                         
                             Outlook                                            
                            Forum  97