Nationally, pickle packers intend to contract 90,490 acres of cucumbers for pickles, up 5 percent from last year. Increases in acreage are forecast for Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Planting in North Carolina should start around mid-April. Growth of the California crop had been hindered by cool temperatures, but more recent warmer temperatures allowed the crop to return to normal development. Nationally, producers intend to harvest 38,100 acres up 2 percent from last year.
Production is on schedule in Arizona.
Georgia weather conditions have been near ideal, just a little drier than normal. The Georgia crop is in good condition and harvest is expected to begin as early as mid-April. Most areas of Texas are reporting good quality despite recent heavy rains in some areas of the valley and coastal bend. California producers expect to plant 44,500 acres of summer onions, of which 6,500 acres are for non-storage and 38,000 acres are for storage. California has had favorably dry weather allowing growers to prepare the soil and plant the crop without too many distractions.