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.
 
 
 
 
      Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons:  Annual Area for Harvest
                       by Season, Major States, 1997-1999
                                (Domestic Units)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                          Area
          Crop         :-------------------------------------------------------
          and          :              Harvested              :       For
         Season        :-------------------------------------:     Harvest
                       :       1997       :       1998       :       1999
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                         Acres
                       :
Snap Beans             :      10,000             11,500              9,500
Broccoli 1/            :      30,000             30,500             30,300
Cabbage                :      10,300             11,300             10,000
Carrots                :      30,000             27,400             24,800
Cauliflower 1/         :       9,500              9,500              9,800
Celery 1/              :       6,900              7,300              7,400
Sweet Corn             :       4,300              5,800              6,100
Eggplant               :         700                800                700
Escarole/Endive        :         600                750                800
Head Lettuce           :      68,800             68,500             72,500
Bell Pepper 1/         :       4,800              4,300              5,000
Spinach                :       2,400              2,500              2,100
Tomatoes               :      10,800             11,300             14,500
                       :
Total Winter Crop      :     189,100            191,450            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)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                          Area
          Crop         :-------------------------------------------------------
          and          :              Harvested              :       For
         Season        :-------------------------------------:     Harvest
                       :       1997       :       1998       :       1999
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       :                        Hectares
                       :
Snap Beans             :       4,050              4,650              3,840
Broccoli 1/            :      12,140             12,340             12,260
Cabbage                :       4,170              4,570              4,050
Carrots                :      12,140             11,090             10,040
Cauliflower 1/         :       3,840              3,840              3,970
Celery 1/              :       2,790              2,950              2,990
Sweet Corn             :       1,740              2,350              2,470
Eggplant               :         280                320                280
Escarole/Endive        :         240                300                320
Head Lettuce           :      27,840             27,720             29,340
Bell Pepper 1/         :       1,940              1,740              2,020
Spinach                :         970              1,010                850
Tomatoes               :       4,370              4,570              5,870
                       :
Total Winter Crop      :      76,530             77,480             78,310
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Includes fresh market and processing.
 
 
 
 
      Selected Fresh Market Vegetables and Melons:  Annual Area for Harvest
                by Crop, State, and Total, Winter Season, 1997-99
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     :         :               Area                :
         Crop        :  Usual  :-----------------------------------:    1999
         and         : Harvest :       Harvested       :    For    : as Percent
        State        : Period  :-----------------------:  Harvest  :  of 1998
                     :         :   1997    :   1998    :   1999    :
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     :         :  ------------ Acres -----------      Percent
                     :         :
Snap Beans           :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :   10,000      11,500       9,500         83
                     :         :
Broccoli 1/          :         :
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :   30,000      30,500      30,300         99
                     :         :
Cabbage              :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :    4,000       4,800       3,000         63
  TX                 : Jan-Mar :    6,300       6,500       7,000        108
  Total              :         :   10,300      11,300      10,000         88
                     :         :
Carrots              :         :
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :   23,000      21,000      22,000        105
  FL 2/              : Jan-Mar :    4,600       4,100
  TX                 : Dec-Mar :    2,400       2,300       2,800        122
  Total              :         :   30,000      27,400      24,800         91
                     :         :
Cauliflower 1/       :         :
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :    9,500       9,500       9,800        103
                     :         :
Celery 1/            :         :
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :    6,900       7,300       7,400        101
                     :         :
Sweet Corn           :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :    4,300       5,800       6,100        105
                     :         :
Eggplant             :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :      700         800         700         88
                     :         :
Escarole/Endive      :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :      600         750         800        107
                     :         :
Head Lettuce         :         :
  AZ - Western       : Nov-Apr :   51,800      51,000      52,000        102
  CA                 : Jan-Mar :   17,000      17,500      20,500        117
  Total              :         :   68,800      68,500      72,500        106
                     :         :
Bell Pepper 1/       :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :    4,800       4,300       5,000        116
                     :         :
Spinach              :         :
  TX                 : Dec-Mar :    2,400       2,500       2,100         84
                     :         :
Tomatoes             :         :
  FL                 : Jan-Mar :   10,800      11,300      14,500        128
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Includes fresh market and processing.
2/  Not published to avoid disclosure.
 
 
 
             Onions and Strawberries for Fresh Market:  Area Planted
                and Harvested by Crop, Season, and Total, 1997-99
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Crop,     :        Planted Area         :         Harvested Area
     Season,    :--------------------------------------------------------------
       and      :         :         :         :         :         : For Harvest
      State     :  1997   :  1998   :  1999   :  1997   :  1998   :    1999
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :                             Acres
                :
Onions 1/       :
  Spring        :
    AZ 2/       :  2,100     2,500     2,600     2,100     2,500
    CA 2/       :  9,900     7,000     7,700     9,600     6,800
    GA          : 16,200    15,000    15,000    15,800    13,900      14,500
    TX          : 12,400    12,000    13,100     9,800    11,400      12,400
    Total 2/    : 40,600    36,500    38,400    37,300    34,600
                :
Strawberries 3/ :
  Winter        :
    FL          :  6,100     6,200     6,200     6,100     6,200       6,200
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Primarily fresh market.
2/  1999 - harvested acreage published April 8, 1999.
3/  Includes fresh market and processing.
 
 
 
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.
 
 
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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