Vg 1-1 (1-99)

Vegetables National

Agricultural

Statistics

Service

USDA

Washington, D.C.

Released January 14, 1999, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of

Agriculture. For information on "Vegetables" call Biz Wallingsford at (202) 720-2157, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Fresh Vegetable Acreage Up 1 Percent

Spring Onion Acreage Up 5 Percent

Winter Strawberry Acreage Unchanged

The prospective area for harvest of 13 selected fresh market vegetables during the winter quarter is

forecast at 193,500 acres. This is 1 percent above last year and 2 percent more than in 1997. 

Acreage increases in cauliflower, celery, sweet corn, escarole/endive, head lettuce, bell peppers, and

tomatoes more than offset declines in snap beans, cabbage, carrots, eggplant, and spinach. 

Tomatoes, bell peppers, and escarole/endive had the largest acreage increases, while snap beans,

spinach, and eggplant showed the largest acreage decrease.

Acres planted for spring onions, at 38,400 acres was up 5 percent from 1998 but 5 percent less than

1997. Acreage increased in Arizona, California, and Texas. Georgia’s acreage was unchanged

from 1998.

Florida’s winter strawberry acreage is estimated at 6,200 acres, the same as last year but 2 percent

more than in 1997.

The release date for the Vegetable 1998 Summary has been changed from January 15, 1999

to January 28, 1999.
Vegetables Agricultural Statistics Board

January 1999 2 NASS, USDA

Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons: Annual Area for Harvest

by Season, Major States, 1997-1999

(Domestic Units)

Crop

and

Season

Area

Harvested For

Harvest

1997 1998 1999

Acres Acres Acres

Snap Beans

Broccoli 1

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower 1

Celery 1

Sweet Corn

Eggplant

Escarole/Endive

Head Lettuce

Bell Pepper 1

Spinach

Tomatoes

Total Winter Crop

10,000

30,000

10,300

30,000

9,500

6,900

4,300

700

600

68,800

4,800

2,400

10,800

189,100

11,500

30,500

11,300

27,400

9,500

7,300

5,800

800

750

68,500

4,300

2,500

11,300

191,450

9,500

30,300

10,000

24,800

9,800

7,400

6,100

700

800

72,500

5,000

2,100

14,500

193,500 1 Includes fresh market and processing.

Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons: Annual Area for Harvest

by Season, Major States, 1997-1999

(Metric Units)

Crop

and

Season

Area

Harvested For

Harvest

1997 1998 1999

Hectares Hectares Hectares

Snap Beans

Broccoli 1

Cabbage

Carrots

Cauliflower 1

Celery 1

Sweet Corn

Eggplant

Escarole/Endive

Head Lettuce

Bell Pepper 1

Spinach

Tomatoes

Total Winter Crop

4,050

12,140

4,170

12,140

3,840

2,790

1,740

280

240

27,840

1,940

970

4,370

76,530

4,650

12,340

4,570

11,090

3,840

2,950

2,350

320

300

27,720

1,740

1,010

4,570

77,480

3,840

12,260

4,050

10,040

3,970

2,990

2,470

280

320

29,340

2,020

850

5,870

78,310 1 Includes fresh market and processing.
Vegetables Agricultural Statistics Board

January 1999 3 NASS, USDA

Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons: Annual Area for Harvest

by Crop, State, and Total, Winter Season, 1997-99

Crop

and

State

Usual

Harvest

Period

Area

1999

as Percent

of 1998

Harvested For

Harvest

1997 1998 1999

Acres Acres Acres Percent

Snap Beans

 FL

Broccoli 1

 CA

Cabbage

 FL

 TX

 Total

Carrots

 CA

 FL 2

 TX

 Total

Cauliflower 1

 CA

Celery 1

 CA

Sweet Corn

 FL

Eggplant

 FL

Escarole/Endive

 FL

Head Lettuce

 AZ - Western

 CA

 Total

Bell Pepper 1

 FL

Spinach

 TX

Tomatoes

 FL

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Dec-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Nov-Apr

Jan-Mar

Jan-Mar

Dec-Mar

Jan-Mar

10,000

30,000

4,000

6,300

10,300

23,000

4,600

2,400

30,000

9,500

6,900

4,300

700

600

51,800

17,000

68,800

4,800

2,400

10,800

11,500

30,500

4,800

6,500

11,300

21,000

4,100

2,300

27,400

9,500

7,300

5,800

800

750

51,000

17,500

68,500

4,300

2,500

11,300

9,500

30,300

3,000

7,000

10,000

22,000

2,800

24,800

9,800

7,400

6,100

700

800

52,000

20,500

72,500

5,000

2,100

14,500

83

99

63

108

88

105

122

91

103

101

105

88

107

102

117

106

116

84

128 1 Includes fresh market and processing. 2 Not published to avoid disclosure.
Vegetables Agricultural Statistics Board

January 1999 4 NASS, USDA

Onions and Strawberries for Fresh Market: Area Planted

and Harvested by Crop, Season, and Total, 1997-99

Crop,

Season,

and

State

Planted Area Harvested Area

1997 1998 1999 1997 1998 For Harvest

1999

Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres Acres

Onions 1

 Spring

 AZ 2

 CA 2

 GA

 TX

 Total 2

Strawberries 3

 Winter

 FL

2,100

9,900

16,200

12,400

40,600

6,100

2,500

7,000

15,000

12,000

36,500

6,200

2,600

7,700

15,000

13,100

38,400

6,200

2,100

9,600

15,800

9,800

37,300

6,100

2,500

6,800

13,900

11,400

34,600

6,200

14,500

12,400

6,200 1 Primarily fresh market. 2 1999 - harvested acreage published April 8, 1999. 3 Includes fresh market and processing.
Vegetables Agricultural Statistics Board

January 1999 5 NASS, USDA

Snap Beans: Florida acreage for harvest is 9,500 acres, down 17 percent from last year and

5 percent below two years ago. Planting and harvest are active. Producers reported that the crop is

in good condition and bean quality and color are good.

Broccoli: California acreage is estimated at 30,300 acres, 1 percent below last year but 1 percent

more than 1997. According to producers, the crop has done well despite cold weather in late

December which affected final floret sizing.

Cabbage: Winter acreage for harvest is estimated at 10,000, 12 percent below 1998 and 3 percent

less than 1997. Planting and harvest are active in all areas of Florida. Cool weather has helped the

crop produce better quality heads.

Carrots: Winter harvested acreage is estimated at 24,800, 9 percent below last year and 17 percent

below the year before. California harvest was reported on schedule. The crop appears to be in good

condition, despite cold weather which hindered late sizing. 

Cauliflower: California acreage is forecast at 9,800 acres, up 3 percent from both 1998 and 1997. 

Producers reported that head size was reduced due to cold weather in late December. Despite

smaller heads, the quality was good.

Celery: The winter celery crop for harvest in California is estimated to be 7,400 acres, 1 percent

above last year and 7 percent above the year before. Harvest is on schedule, despite recent cold

temperatures.

Sweet Corn: Florida harvested acreage is forecast at 6,100 acres, 5 percent more than 1998 and

42 percent above 1997. Florida’s East Coast areas experienced rain and wind from tropical systems

during the last half of September which delayed planting. During November, Tropical Storm Mitch

blew over or logged some stalks in the Everglades and Dade County with 70 miles per hour winds. 

Dry weather following the storm allowed most acreage to recover. Everglades growers were able to

pick by mid-November. Cooler temperatures slowed maturity during the latter part of December. 

Eggplant: Acreage for winter harvest in Florida, at 700 acres, is down 12 percent from 1998 but

the same as 1997. Growing conditions have been favorable for eggplant this year. Harvest is active

with good quality and color.

Escarole/Endive: Harvested acreage of Florida’s winter crop of escarole and endive is forecast at

800 acres, 7 percent above last year and 33 percent more than 1997. Warm temperatures boosted

growth during September and October. Tropical Storm Mitch blew sand on leaves and flooded

some fields during early November in the Everglades region. Harvest started during late November. 

Quality was reduced by the storm. Warm and mostly dry weather during most of December helped

improve quality.

Lettuce: Acreage for harvest is forecast at 72,500, up 6 percent from last year and 5 percent above

two years ago. In California, below freezing temperatures in the desert area for a few nights in late

December kept growers from harvesting until early afternoon. The frost affected the external

quality of the lettuce and head weights dropped. Losses were minimal.
Vegetables Agricultural Statistics Board

January 1999 6 NASS, USDA

Onions: Growers intend to plant 38,400 acres of spring onions for 1999, an increase of 5 percent

from 1998 but 5 percent lower than 1997. California field conditions have been good to date. 

Planting of spring onions is just getting underway and will continue for the next couple of months. 

In Texas, some areas were late planting due to adverse weather conditions. At this time, the crop is

generally in good shape.

Bell Peppers: Winter acreage in Florida is estimated at 5,000 acres, 16 percent above last year and

4 percent more than 1997. Rainfall and tropical storms during late September delayed fieldwork in

the East Coast areas. The November passage of Tropical Storm Mitch over the southern Peninsula

flooded fields and affected quality. Warm weather allowed plants to recover during early December

from storm damage. During mid-December, temperatures turned cooler slowing fruit maturity and

delaying harvest.

Spinach: Harvested acres of winter spinach for 1999 is forecast at 2,100 acres in Texas. This is

16 percent below 1998, and 13 percent below 1997.

Strawberries: Florida winter acreage is forecast at 6,200 acres, the same as last year and 1 percent

above the year before. Strawberry crop development has proceeded at a faster pace than last season

due to the warm December weather. Harvest began in December and is going smoothly.

Tomatoes: Florida winter tomato acreage is estimated to be 14,500 acres, up 28 percent from 1998

and 34 percent above 1997. Tropical storms and hurricanes passing through Florida during the

planting and growing seasons kept growers busy protecting their tomato crops. Wind damage was

kept at a minimum by staking plants tall enough for binding. Above normal temperatures during

most of October helped the crop recover from the earlier windy and rainy weather. Hot and

relatively dry weather during the rest of November and most of December boosted plant growth and

fruit development. Picking was delayed during December in some areas due to rain and cooler

temperatures.
The next "Vegetables" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on April 8, 1999.

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February 22-23, 1999

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Agricultural

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1999

• Farm and Commodity Outlook

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 1999