Crop Production National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 9, 1998, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Crop Production" call at (202) 720-2127, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. Forecasts refer to April 1, 1998. Orange Production Down 1 Percent All oranges production for the 1997-98 season is forecast at a record large 14.0 million tons, down 1 percent from the March forecast but up 11 percent from last season's revised record large production of 12.7 million tons. Florida's production is forecast at 248 million boxes (11.2 million tons), down 1 percent from March but 10 percent above last season. Florida's early-midseason forecast is 140 million boxes (6.30 million boxes), 2 percent less than a month ago but 4 percent above last year's record large production. The Florida Valencia forecast remained unchanged from last month and is a record large crop of 108 million boxes (4.86 million tons), 17 percent above a year ago. The California all orange production forecast remains at 74.0 million boxes (2.78 million tons), unchanged from the January forecast and 16 percent more than the revised 1996-97 production of 64.0 million boxes (2.40 million tons). The Navel orange forecast continues at 44.0 million boxes (1.65 million tons), up 10 percent from a year ago. California's Valencia forecast also remains unchanged from the January forecast of 30.0 million boxes (1.13 million tons) but is 25 percent more than the revised production of 24.0 million boxes (900,000 tons) of the previous season. Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield for the 1997-98 season is projected at 1.56 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, unchanged from last month. The forecast projects the final yield as reported by the Florida Citrus Processors Association. The early and midseason portion of the yield for 1997- 98 is final at 1.49 gallons per box compared to 1.52 the previous season. Valencia yield is projected at 1.67 gallons per box, up slightly from March but lower than last season's final yield of 1.68 gallons per box. Cr Pr 2-2 (4-98) This report was approved on April 9, 1998. Acting Secretary of Agricultural Statistics Board Agriculture Acting Chairperson I. Miley Gonzalez Frederic A. Vogel Contents Page Tables Narratives Report Highlights ........................................... - 1 Citrus Fruits ............................................... 4 18 Potatoes .................................................... 6 20 Papayas ..................................................... 7 21 Peanuts ..................................................... 7 21 Crop Summary (Domestic Units) Area Planted and Harvested ............................. 10 - Yield and Production ................................... 11 - Fruits and Nuts Production (Domestic Units) ................. 12 - Crop Summary (Metric Units) Area Planted and Harvested ............................. 13 - Yield and Production ................................... 14 - Fruits and Nuts Production (Metric Units) ................... 15 - March Weather Summary ....................................... - 16 General Crop Comments ....................................... - 17 Report Features ............................................. - 22 Citrus Fruits: Utilized Production by Crop, State, and United States, 1995-96, 1996-97 and Forecasted April 1, 1998 1/ 2/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Utilized Production : Utilized Production : Boxes : Ton Equivalent Crop and State :----------------------------------------------------------- : 1995-96 : 1996-97 : 1997-98 : 1995-96 : 1996-97 : 1997-98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 Boxes 3/ ----- ------- 1,000 Tons ------- Oranges : Early Mid & : Navel 4/ : AZ : 700 400 450 27 15 17 CA : 38,000 40,000 44,000 1,426 1,500 1,650 FL : 121,200 134,200 140,000 5,454 6,039 6,300 TX : 830 1,300 1,400 35 55 60 US : 160,730 175,900 185,850 6,942 7,609 8,027 Valencia : AZ : 950 600 550 36 23 21 CA : 20,000 24,000 30,000 750 900 1,125 FL : 82,100 92,000 108,000 3,695 4,140 4,860 TX : 110 120 150 4 5 6 US : 103,160 116,720 138,700 4,485 5,068 6,012 All : AZ : 1,650 1,000 1,000 63 38 38 CA : 58,000 64,000 74,000 2,176 2,400 2,775 FL : 203,300 226,200 248,000 9,149 10,179 11,160 TX : 940 1,420 1,550 39 60 66 US : 263,890 292,620 324,550 11,427 12,677 14,039 Temples : FL : 2,150 2,400 2,300 97 108 104 Grapefruit : White Seedless : FL 5/ : 23,200 23,500 21,000 986 999 893 Colored Seedless : FL 5/ : 28,100 31,400 28,500 1,194 1,334 1,211 Other : FL : 1,050 900 500 45 38 21 All : AZ : 1,200 900 800 40 30 27 CA : 8,100 8,200 9,000 271 275 302 FL 5/ : 52,350 55,800 50,000 2,225 2,371 2,125 TX : 4,550 5,300 4,600 182 212 184 US : 66,200 70,200 64,400 2,718 2,888 2,638 Tangerines : AZ : 1,000 550 500 38 21 19 CA : 2,600 2,600 2,400 98 98 90 FL : 4,500 6,300 5,100 213 299 242 US : 8,100 9,450 8,000 349 418 351 Lemons : AZ : 5,100 2,600 2,600 194 99 99 CA : 21,000 20,000 22,000 798 760 836 US : 26,100 22,600 24,600 992 859 935 Tangelos : FL : 2,450 3,950 2,850 110 178 128 K-Early Citrus : FL : 160 150 40 7 7 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See footnotes on next page. Citrus Fruit Footnotes 1/ The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with the completion of harvest the following year. 2/ 1996-97 revised. 3/ Net lbs. per box: oranges-AZ & CA-75, FL-90, TX-85; grapefruit-AZ & CA-67, FL-85, TX-80; lemons-76; tangelos, K-Early Citrus & Temples-90; tangerines-AZ & CA-75, FL-95. 4/ Navel and miscellaneous varieties in AZ and CA. Early (including Navel) and midseason varieties in FL and TX. Small quantities of tangerines in TX. 5/ Excludes economic abandonment in 1995-96 of 3,000,000 boxes of Colored Seedless; in 1996-97 of 3,000,000 boxes of White Seedless and 3,000,000 boxes of Colored Seedless. Potatoes: Area Planted and Harvested, Yield, and Production by Seasonal Group, State, and United States, 1996-98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : : Seasonal :---------------------------------: Yield : Production Group : Planted : Harvested : : and :------------------------------------------------------------------ State : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 :1997 :1998 : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : -------- 1,000 Acres -------- -- Cwt -- ----- 1,000 Cwt ---- : Winter : CA : 6.6 7.0 6.6 7.0 240 220 1,425 1,584 1,540 FL : 9.0 8.5 8.8 8.0 175 180 1,848 1,540 1,440 : Total : 15.6 15.5 15.4 15.0 203 199 3,273 3,124 2,980 : Spring : AL : 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4 175 170 304 263 238 AZ : 6.2 6.5 6.2 6.5 275 275 2,475 1,705 1,788 CA : 20.7 18.9 20.7 18.9 400 370 7,538 8,280 6,993 FL : 34.5 36.8 33.3 34.5 199 187 7,765 6,641 6,455 Hastings : 25.5 26.5 24.5 24.5 210 190 6,325 5,145 4,655 Other FL : 9.0 10.3 8.8 10.0 170 180 1,440 1,496 1,800 NC : 17.0 17.5 16.5 17.0 200 185 3,230 3,300 3,145 TX : 8.3 10.0 8.0 9.5 195 205 1,105 1,560 1,948 : Total : 88.3 91.2 86.2 87.8 252 234 22,417 21,749 20,567 : Summer : AL : 6.0 5.9 150 1,005 885 CA : 5.9 5.9 360 2,088 2,124 CO : 7.8 7.6 350 3,381 2,660 DE : 4.3 4.2 230 1,248 966 IL : 4.8 4.6 325 1,650 1,495 IA : 1.3 1.3 210 315 273 MD : 3.4 3.4 280 559 952 MO : 6.4 5.8 255 1,633 1,479 NE : 4.4 4.3 390 1,485 1,677 NJ : 2.2 2.2 270 663 594 NM : 4.4 4.3 320 1,404 1,376 NC : 1.2 1.2 100 108 120 TX : 8.5 7.7 245 2,280 1,887 VA : 8.0 7.5 195 1,688 1,463 : Total : 68.6 65.9 272 19,507 17,951 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Papayas: Area and Fresh Production by Month, Hawaii, 1997-98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area : Fresh Production :------------------------------------------------------------------- Month : Total in Crop : Harvested : : :---------------------------------------------: 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 : : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------------- Acres ---------------- 1,000 Pounds : Feb : 3,530 3,505 1,485 1,735 3,020 2,645 Mar : 4,310 3,200 2,115 2,110 2,915 2,760 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peanuts: Farm Marketing Percents by Month, State, and United States, 1996 and 1997 Crop Years -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Year : : : : : : : and : Aug : Sep : Oct : Nov : Dec : Jan 1/ : Feb State : : : : : : : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : 1996 Crop : AL : 33.3 57.2 8.9 0.6 FL : 45.7 49.7 4.0 0.6 GA : 42.7 49.9 6.6 0.8 NC : 1.2 76.4 15.4 4.4 2.6 TX : 5.3 66.0 23.3 3.9 1.2 0.3 VA : 11.2 63.8 14.0 6.7 4.3 : US : 27.6 57.9 11.5 2.1 0.8 0.1 : 1997 Crop : AL : 63.1 32.5 4.2 0.2 FL : 70.2 27.1 1.7 0.2 0.8 GA : 54.3 40.3 4.4 0.9 0.1 NC : 56.2 24.7 14.8 4.3 TX : 1.8 47.9 37.2 11.4 1.2 0.5 VA : 0.1 57.4 26.0 10.2 6.3 : US : 34.8 43.0 15.6 5.3 1.2 0.1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ January of the following year. Peanuts: Area Planted and Harvested, Yield, and Production by State and United States, 1996-97 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area Planted : Area Harvested State :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------------- 1,000 Acres --------------------- : AL : 192.0 194.0 191.0 193.0 FL : 90.0 92.0 82.0 84.0 GA : 535.0 520.0 533.0 519.0 NM : 16.5 18.0 16.5 17.3 NC : 125.0 122.0 125.0 121.0 OK : 85.0 79.0 81.0 77.0 SC : 11.0 11.0 10.5 10.5 TX : 270.0 320.0 265.0 315.0 VA : 77.0 75.0 76.0 74.0 : US : 1,401.5 1,431.0 1,380.0 1,410.8 : :----------------------------------------------------------------- : Yield : Production :----------------------------------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 :----------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Pounds ----- ------ 1,000 Pounds ----- : AL : 2,355 1,930 449,805 372,490 FL : 2,880 2,715 236,160 228,060 GA : 2,690 2,570 1,433,770 1,333,830 NM : 2,300 2,700 37,950 46,710 NC : 2,940 2,720 367,500 329,120 OK : 2,410 2,400 195,210 184,800 SC : 3,100 2,900 32,550 30,450 TX : 2,600 2,610 689,000 822,150 VA : 2,885 2,560 219,260 189,440 : US : 2,653 2,507 3,661,205 3,537,050 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 1997 Revised. Peanuts: Price and Value by State and United States, 1996-97 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Price per Pound : Value of Production State :--------------------------------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1996 : 1997 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- Dollars ---- ----- 1,000 Dollars ----- : : AL : .278 .275 125,046 102,435 FL : .281 .237 66,361 54,050 GA : .297 .272 425,830 362,802 NM : .305 .300 11,575 14,013 NC : .275 .267 101,063 87,875 OK : .300 .293 58,563 54,146 SC : .245 .287 7,975 8,739 TX : .248 .235 170,872 193,205 VA : .285 .289 62,489 54,748 : US : .281 .264 1,029,774 932,013 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 1997 revised. Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States, 1997-98 1/ (Domestic Units) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area Planted : Area Harvested Crop :----------------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Acres : Grains & Hay : Barley : 6,910.0 6,780.0 6,425.0 Corn for Grain : 80,227.0 80,781.0 73,720.0 Corn for Silage : 5,758.0 Hay, All : 60,815.0 60,735.0 Alfalfa : 23,673.0 All Other : 37,142.0 Oats : 5,169.0 5,154.0 2,911.0 3,058.0 Rice : 3,056.0 3,085.0 3,034.0 Rye : 1,433.0 1,551.0 341.0 Sorghum for Grain : 10,108.0 9,015.0 9,391.0 Sorghum for Silage : 310.0 Wheat, All : 70,989.0 67,027.0 63,577.0 Winter : 48,342.0 46,637.0 41,813.0 Durum : 3,250.0 4,075.0 3,107.0 Other Spring : 19,397.0 16,315.0 18,657.0 : Oilseeds : Canola : 728.0 698.0 Cottonseed : Flaxseed : 146.0 280.0 135.0 Mustard Seed : 74.4 72.8 Peanuts : 1,431.0 1,474.5 1,410.8 Rapeseed : 1.7 1.5 Safflower : 249.0 235.0 Soybeans for Beans : 70,850.0 72,000.0 69,884.0 Sunflower : 2,949.0 3,148.0 2,852.0 : Cotton, Tobacco & Sugar Crops : Cotton, All : 13,818.0 13,215.0 13,283.5 Upland : 13,566.0 12,948.0 13,032.5 Amer-Pima : 252.0 267.0 251.0 Sugarbeets : 1,459.2 1,496.7 1,427.8 Sugarcane : 915.5 Tobacco : 797.3 733.8 : Dry Beans, Peas & Lentils : Austrian Winter Peas : 8.1 7.6 Dry Edible Beans : 1,851.8 1,940.3 1,720.2 Dry Edible Peas : 293.6 276.6 Lentils : 181.0 172.0 Wrinkled Seed Peas : : Potatoes & Misc. : Coffee (HI) : 5.6 Ginger Root (HI) : 0.3 Hops : 43.3 Peppermint Oil : 136.3 Potatoes, All : 1,362.0 1,325.5 Winter : 15.6 15.5 15.4 15.0 Spring : 88.3 91.2 86.2 87.8 Summer : 68.6 65.9 Fall : 1,189.5 1,158.0 Spearmint Oil : 24.5 Sweet Potatoes : 86.9 85.7 83.5 Taro (HI) : 0.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 1998 planted and harvested acres for all crops except potatoes are brought forward from the March "Prospective Plantings" report. Crop Summary: Yield and Production, United States, 1997-98 (Domestic Units) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Yield : Production Crop :Unit :------------------------------------------- : : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : ------ 1,000 ------ : : Grains & Hay : : Barley : Bu : 58.3 374,478 Corn for Grain : " : 127.0 9,365,574 Corn for Silage : Ton : 16.0 91,903 Hay, All : " : 2.50 152,120 Alfalfa : " : 3.35 79,242 All Other : " : 1.96 72,878 Oats : Bu : 60.5 176,104 Rice 1/ : Cwt : 5,896 178,896 Rye : Bu : 26.1 8,912 Sorghum for Grain : " : 69.5 653,106 Sorghum for Silage : Ton : 12.5 3,885 Wheat, All : Bu : 39.7 2,526,552 Winter : " : 45.0 1,882,609 Durum : " : 27.7 86,193 Other Spring : " : 29.9 557,750 : : Oilseeds : : Canola : Lb : 1,310 914,385 Cottonseed : Ton : 7,278 Flaxseed : Bu : 16.1 2,171 Mustard Seed : Lb : 816 59,405 Peanuts : " : 2,507 3,537,050 Rapeseed : " : 1,300 1,950 Safflower : " : 1,830 430,050 Soybeans for Beans : Bu : 39.0 2,727,254 Sunflower : Lb : 1,320 3,763,428 : : Cotton, Tobacco & Sugar Crops : : Cotton, All 1/ : Bale: 686 18,976.9 Upland 1/ : " : 679 18,439.9 Amer-Pima 1/ : " : 1,027 537.0 Sugarbeets : Ton : 20.9 29,874 Sugarcane : " : 34.5 31,563 Tobacco : Lb : 2,106 1,678,821 : : Dry Beans, Peas & Lentils : : Austrian Winter Peas 1/ : Cwt : 1,513 115 Dry Edible Beans 1/ : " : 1,695 29,156 Dry Edible Peas 1/ : " : 2,103 5,816 Lentils 1/ : " : 1,390 2,391 Wrinkled Seed Peas : " : 682 : : Potatoes & Misc. : : Coffee (HI) : Lb : 1,610 9,000 Ginger Root (HI) : " : 44,000 12,100 Hops : " : 1,729 74,872.1 Peppermint Oil : " : 75 10,256 Potatoes, All : Cwt : 347 459,912 Winter : " : 203 199 3,124 2,980 Spring : " : 252 234 21,749 20,567 Summer : " : 272 17,951 Fall : " : 360 417,088 Spearmint Oil : Lb : 98 2,403 Sweet Potatoes : Cwt : 156 13,025 Taro (HI) : Lb : 11,600 5,200 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Yield in pounds. Fruits and Nuts Production, United States, 1996-98 (Domestic Units) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Production Crop : Unit :----------------------------------------------- : : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : 1,000 : : Citrus 1/ : : Grapefruit : Ton : 2,718 2,888 2,638 K-Early Citrus (FL) : " : 7 7 2 Lemons : " : 992 859 935 Oranges : " : 11,427 12,677 14,039 Tangelos (FL) : " : 110 178 128 Tangerines : " : 349 418 351 Temples (FL) : " : 97 108 104 : : Non-Citrus : : Apples : Lb : 10,392.0 10,226.6 Apricots : Ton : 79.3 138.0 Bananas (HI) : Lb : 13,000.0 13,500.0 Grapes : Ton : 5,554.3 6,836.4 Olives (CA) : " : 166.0 104.0 Papayas (HI) : Lb : 41,800.0 41,000.0 Peaches : " : 2,116.3 2,651.1 Pears : Ton : 820.8 1,044.0 Prunes, Dried (CA) : " : 212.0 Prunes & Plums (Ex CA): " : 20.0 29.0 : : Nuts & Misc. : : Almonds (CA) : Lb : 510,000 750,000 Hazelnuts : Ton : 18.5 44.1 Pecans : Lb : 221,500 272,100 Pistachios (CA) : " : 105,000 180,000 Walnuts (CA) : Ton : 208.0 269.0 Maple Syrup : Gal : 1,567 1,293 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Production years for citrus crops are 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98. Crop Summary: Area Planted and Harvested, United States, 1997-98 1/ (Metric Units) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Area Planted : Area Harvested Crop :----------------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Hectares : Grains & Hay : Barley : 2,796,410 2,743,800 2,600,130 Corn for Grain :32,467,060 32,691,260 29,833,750 Corn for Silage : 2,330,210 Hay, All : 24,611,230 24,578,850 Alfalfa : 9,580,230 All Other : 15,031,000 Oats : 2,091,840 2,085,770 1,178,050 1,237,540 Rice : 1,236,730 1,248,470 1,227,830 Rye : 579,920 627,670 138,000 Sorghum for Grain : 4,090,610 3,648,280 3,800,440 Sorghum for Silage : 125,450 Wheat, All :28,728,530 27,125,160 25,728,970 Winter :19,563,520 18,873,530 16,921,300 Durum : 1,315,240 1,649,110 1,257,370 Other Spring : 7,849,770 6,602,520 7,550,300 : Oilseeds : Canola : 294,610 282,470 Cottonseed : Flaxseed : 59,080 113,310 54,630 Mustard Seed : 30,110 29,460 Peanuts : 579,110 596,720 570,940 Rapeseed : 690 610 Safflower : 100,770 95,100 Soybeans for Beans :28,672,290 29,137,680 28,281,360 Sunflower : 1,193,430 1,273,960 1,154,180 : Cotton, Tobacco & Sugar Crops : Cotton, All : 5,592,000 5,347,980 5,375,700 Upland : 5,490,020 5,239,930 5,274,120 Amer-Pima : 101,980 108,050 101,580 Sugarbeets : 590,520 605,700 577,820 Sugarcane : 370,490 Tobacco : 322,650 296,950 : Dry Beans, Peas & Lentils : Austrian Winter Peas : 3,280 3,080 Dry Edible Beans : 749,400 785,220 696,150 Dry Edible Peas : 118,820 111,940 Lentils : 73,250 69,610 Wrinkled Seed Peas : : Potatoes & Misc. : Coffee (HI) : 2,270 Ginger Root (HI) : 110 Hops : 17,520 Peppermint Oil : 55,160 Potatoes, All : 551,190 536,420 Winter : 6,310 6,270 6,230 6,070 Spring : 35,730 36,910 34,880 35,530 Summer : 27,760 26,670 Fall : 481,380 468,630 Spearmint Oil : 9,910 Sweet Potatoes : 35,170 34,680 33,790 Taro (HI) : 180 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ 1998 planted and harvested acres for all crops except potatoes are brought forward from the March "Prospective Plantings" report. Crop Summary: Yield and Production, United States, 1997-98 (Metric Units) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Yield : Production Crop :----------------------------------------------- : 1997 : 1998 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Metric Tons : Grains & Hay : Barley : 3.14 8,153,300 Corn for Grain : 7.97 237,896,540 Corn for Silage : 35.78 83,373,000 Hay, All : 5.61 138,000,940 Alfalfa : 7.50 71,887,130 All Other : 4.40 66,113,810 Oats : 2.17 2,556,140 Rice : 6.61 8,114,590 Rye : 1.64 226,380 Sorghum for Grain : 4.37 16,589,660 Sorghum for Silage : 28.09 3,524,410 Wheat, All : 2.67 68,761,480 Winter : 3.03 51,236,220 Durum : 1.87 2,345,790 Other Spring : 2.01 15,179,470 : Oilseeds : Canola : 1.47 414,760 Cottonseed : 6,602,490 Flaxseed : 1.01 55,150 Mustard Seed : 0.91 26,950 Peanuts : 2.81 1,604,380 Rapeseed : 1.44 880 Safflower : 2.05 195,070 Soybeans for Beans : 2.62 74,223,690 Sunflower : 1.48 1,707,060 : Cotton, Tobacco & Sugar Crops : Cotton, All : 0.77 4,131,740 Upland : 0.76 4,014,820 Amer-Pima : 1.15 116,920 Sugarbeets : 46.90 27,101,240 Sugarcane : 77.29 28,633,470 Tobacco : 2.36 761,500 : Dry Beans, Peas & Lentils : Austrian Winter Peas : 1.69 5,220 Dry Edible Beans : 1.90 1,322,490 Dry Edible Peas : 2.36 263,810 Lentils : 1.56 108,450 Wrinkled Seed Peas : 30,940 : Potatoes & Misc. : Coffee (HI) : 1.80 4,080 Ginger Root (HI) : 49.91 5,490 Hops : 1.94 33,960 Peppermint Oil : 0.08 4,650 Potatoes, All : 38.89 20,861,260 Winter : 22.74 22.27 141,700 135,170 Spring : 28.28 26.26 986,520 932,900 Summer : 30.53 814,240 Fall : 40.37 18,918,790 Spearmint Oil : 0.11 1,090 Sweet Potatoes : 17.48 590,800 Taro (HI) : 13.11 2,360 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fruits and Nuts Production, United States, 1996-98 (Metric Units) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Production Crop :----------------------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1997 : 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Metric tons : Citrus 1/ : Grapefruit : 2,465,730 2,619,950 2,393,150 K-Early Citrus (FL) : 6,350 6,350 1,810 Lemons : 899,930 779,270 848,220 Oranges : 10,366,400 11,500,380 12,735,970 Tangelos (FL) : 99,790 161,480 116,120 Tangerines : 316,610 379,200 318,420 Temples (FL) : 88,000 97,980 94,350 : Non-Citrus : Apples : 4,710 4,640 Apricots : 71,940 125,190 Bananas (HI) : 5,900 6,120 Grapes : 5,038,780 6,201,880 Olives (CA) : 150,590 94,350 Papayas (HI) : 18,960 18,600 Peaches : 960 1,200 Pears : 744,570 947,100 Prunes, Dried (CA) : 192,320 Prunes & Plums (Ex CA) : 18,140 26,310 : Nuts & Misc. : Almonds (CA) : 231,330 340,190 Hazelnuts : 16,780 40,010 Pecans : 100,470 123,420 Pistachios (CA) : 47,630 81,650 Walnuts (CA) : 188,690 244,030 Maple Syrup : 7,830 6,460 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Production years for citrus crops are 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98. March Weather Summary: March's weather featured an impressive cold outbreak (about 150 daily-record lows from March 7-13) followed by a summer-like warm spell (about 200 daily-record highs and more than 20 monthly record highs from March 22-31). The Arctic outbreak produced the coldest weather of the season in many locations across the Central and South- eastern States in an otherwise mild winter. Snow cover protected winter wheat on the central and northern Plains, but in the Southeast, tender vegetation and peach blooms were damaged by three consecutive freezes (March 11-13). March temperatures ranged from 2 to 7 degrees F below normal on the Plains to as much as 5 degrees F above normal in the Great Lakes and Northeastern States. Monthly readings averaged within 2 degrees F of normal in California and the Southwest, although sharply cooler air arrived at month's end, in conjunction with a renewed series of storms. In California, a month-long stretch without torrential rain--which allowed for recovery from the February deluge--was replaced by cold, wet conditions toward month's end. Monthly rainfall totaled more than 200 percent of normal across parts of southern California, the Southwest, and the southern Plains. In California, Bakersfield's seasonal (July 1, 1997, to date) rainfall reached an all-time-record 11.82 inches, breaking their 1977-78 standard of 11.73 inches. Rainfall of 7.34 inches in Tulsa, OK was their third-highest March total on record, and greatest since 11.94 inches fell in 1973. Wet conditions were also noted across the upper Midwest and much of the East. March precipitation records were established in Alpena, MI (7.32 inches), Madison, WI (5.46 inches), and Sioux Falls, SD (4.08 inches). Alpena also tallied a March-record snowfall (46.6 inches). An active storm track across the Central and Midwestern States helped to provide abundant snowfall. Monthly totals of 13.6 inches in Wichita, KS and 12.3 inches in Norfolk, NE represented more than 50 percent of their respective season-to- date totals. On March 8, Des Moines, IA received 11.0 inches of snow, their greatest calendar-day total on record in March. Little more than a week later, on March 17-19, another storm dumped 40.1 inches in Coal Creek Canyon, CO, west of Denver. The storm helped to lift monthly snowfall to 17.5 inches in Colorado Springs, CO and 18.5 inches in Dodge City, KS. Snow returned to the Western and North Central States toward month's end, helping to boost monthly snowfall to 35.8 inches in Flagstaff, AZ and 21.4 inches in Sioux Falls, SD. On southern California's Mt. Laguna, the snow depth reached 19 inches on March 29. During a 96-hour period early in the month (March 4-8), 4 to 12 inches of rain inundated parts of the Southeast. The downpours, a culmination of a 5-month wet spell, sent rivers to near-record levels in parts of Alabama, Georgia, and western Florida. In southeastern Alabama, the Pea River at Elba crested at 9.20 feet above flood stage on March 9, 2 days after overwhelming a levee and flooding much of the town. The crest was Elba's third highest on record, 10 inches above the July 1994 (Tropical Storm Alberto) level. Other gauging points that approached record stages included the Apalachicola River at Blountstown, FL (third highest on record), the Withlacoochee River at Valdosta, GA (fourth highest), and the Choctawhatchee River at Newton, AL (fourth highest). In addition, severe flooding occurred along parts of Georgia's Flint River. Meanwhile in Virginia, a continuation of wet conditions through most of the month resulted in record January-March precipitation in locations such as Roanoke (21.17 inches; 232 percent of normal) and Richmond (19.33 inches; 193 percent). On March 9, streaks of above-normal temperatures ended at 47 days in Moline, IL and 53 days in Milwaukee, WI. During the Arctic outbreak of March 7-13, monthly records were established in Rawlins, WY (-23 degrees F on the 8th) and Hastings, NE (-15 degrees F on the 11th). On the 11th in South Dakota, Rapid City's low of -18 degrees F was their second-lowest reading in March, behind -21 degrees F on March 8, 1996. Other lows included -27 degrees F in Valentine, NE and -28 degrees F in Williston, ND. A day later in Iowa, lows of -24 degrees F in Bedford and Guthrie Center ranked as the State's fourth-lowest March readings. In Omaha, NE, a low of -11 degrees F represented the latest occurrence of the season's lowest temperature. Kansas City, MO posted a low of -7 degrees F, their latest sub-zero reading during any winter season. Across the Southeast, a 3-day spell of damaging cold commenced on March 11. Total durations of sub-28-degree cold reached 10 to 34 hours across northern Georgia and the northwestern half of South Carolina. By March 13, sub-freezing readings were noted as far south as the Florida cities of Gainesville (29 degrees F) and Ocala (30 degrees F). Other minima in the Southeast included 20 degrees F at both Augusta, GA and Columbia, SC. In the East, the late-month record warmth came just a few days after a significant snowstorm. On March 22, 5.0 inches fell in New York's Central Park, boosting the season-to-date snowfall to 5.5 inches. Nine days later, the Park posted a March-record-tying high of 86 degrees F. Other totals during the March 21-22 storm included 13 inches in Conway, NH and 16 inches in Essex, VT. But on the last 4 days of the month, highs soared to March-record levels in more than 20 locations. On the 31st, highs reached 89 degrees F in Boston, MA, Concord, NH, Albany, NY, and Hartford, CT. In Portland, ME, a high of 88 degrees F on the 31st was not only a monthly record, but also represented a March-record 84-degree swing from their low of 4 degrees F on the 13th. Serious drought continued in Hawaii through March. On Oahu, Honolulu experienced their third-driest March (0.03 inches; 1 percent of normal) and January-March (1.01 inches; 13 percent) periods on record. At the major reporting stations, 6-month rainfall ranged from 4.86 inches (28 percent of normal) in Honolulu to 16.68 inches (59 percent) in Lihue. Hilo received 37.47 inches (47 percent of normal) from October to March, but only 6.21 inches (18 percent) since January 1, 1998. General Crop Comments: Cold weather slowed winter wheat development in the central Great Plains and Southeast early in the month. Considerable leaf burn resulted from a mid-month blast of cold air that brought sub-zero temperatures as far south as Kansas. However, permanent damage from the strong winds and freezing temperatures was expected to be minor. Farther north, snow cover helped protect the crop from the windy, cold conditions. As the cold air retreated, growth resumed, accelerating late in the month when record high temperatures pushed northward into the High Plains. By the end of the month, over half of the crop had reached the jointing stage in Oklahoma, and the crop was beginning to head in Texas and Louisiana. Warm, dry weather during the last week of the month allowed farmers in the Corn Belt and northern Plains to begin spring tillage operations. Some oats were seeded in Illinois, and Colorado producers made good progress on their small grain seedings. In the Southeast, rain caused flooding, delaying corn planting and keeping farmers out of their fields until late in the month. In Georgia, a few cotton and soybean fields remained unharvested from last year's crop. Corn planting accelerated during the final week of the month, but remained behind normal. A sugarcane plant in Florida expected to remain in operation until April to finish processing the late-harvested crop. Peach orchards suffered frost damage when sub-freezing temperatures reached the Gulf coast and northern Florida for three straight nights. Blooms were killed on some early varieties. Strawberry and blueberry growers also struggled to save their crops. In Texas, some pecan trees lost blooms to the cold temperatures. The Pacific Coast States began the month with a continuation of below-normal temperatures, but the earlier stormy pattern abated in California and allowed fieldwork to resume in most areas. Most small grain and alfalfa fields recovered from earlier flooding, but some low-lying wheat and barley fields remained wet and growth was stunted. Sunny weather assisted pollination of almonds and stone fruits. Some cotton was planted in the San Joaquin Valley, but soil temperatures were still too low in most areas. Grapefruit: The April 1 forecast of the 1997-98 U.S. grapefruit crop continues at 2.64 million tons, unchanged from last month and down 9 percent from last year's final utilization. Florida's all grapefruit forecast remains at 50.0 million boxes (2.13 million tons), the same as last month's forecast but down 10 percent from the previous year's record utilization. White seedless grapefruit is forecast at 21.0 million boxes, unchanged from a month ago and 11 percent less than last season. Both fresh and processed utilization is lagging behind last season. Weather and weak market conditions for export have contributed to reduced movement in the fresh production area. High winds have also increased droppage in some of the older interior area groves. Final recorded utilization of this variety will be dependent on the amount processors are willing to accept into inventory. Colored seedless varieties are forecast at 28.5 million boxes, unchanged from last month, 9 percent less than the record crop utilized last season, but near the level of utilization in the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons. Estimated utilization as of April 1, 1998, is 1.34 million boxes ahead of last season to the same date. The seedy (Duncan) grapefruit forecast is continued at 500,000 boxes. As of April 1, 1998, almost 500,000 boxes are estimated to have been utilized. Loss from droppage increased last month, possibly the result of wind and rain. These forecasts are based on objective fruit count and measurement surveys in relation to the harvest patterns and utilization of the past six seasons. All citrus forecasts project certified utilization and include a preseason allocation of less than two percent for unrecorded usage. Certifications include only fruit actually shipped in fresh pack or recorded at a processing plant. California's grapefruit forecast remains unchanged from the previous forecast of 9.00 million boxes (302,000 tons). If realized, the utilization will be a 10 percent increase from the 1996-97 season. Harvesting has slowed during the previous three months as picking wound down in a few areas and gained momentum in other areas. Weather conditions have been fair, with some problems caused by rain. Good size and quality have been reported. The Texas grapefruit forecast, at 4.60 million boxes (184,000 tons), is unchanged from the March 1 forecast but is down 13 percent from last season. Good quality fruit continued to be picked as the harvesting season passed the 75 percent complete mark. Arizona's forecast is unchanged from the previous forecast of 800,000 boxes (27,000 tons), 11 percent below the 1996-97 season. Lemons: The 1997-98 lemon crop is forecast at 935,000 tons, unchanged from the last forecast in January but 9 percent higher than the 1996-97 crop. California production in 1997-98 is forecast at 22.0 million boxes (836,000 tons), unchanged from the January forecast but 10 percent more than last year. Central Valley lemons are rated as fair to good, while South Coast area lemons are rated as good to very good. Grade defects include flatsides, tip bruising, and wind scar. The Arizona lemon crop is expected to be 2.60 million boxes (99,000 tons), the same as the previous forecast and the same as last season's production. Tangerines: The 1997-98 U.S. tangerine crop is forecast at 351,000 tons, up 1 percent from the March 1 forecast but down 16 percent from the previous season's utilized production. Florida's utilization is expected at 5.10 million boxes (242,000 tons), up 2 percent from last month's forecast but down 19 percent from the 1996-97 season. The early portion of the tangerine forecast (Robinson, Fallglo, Sunburst, and Dancy) is final, but the Honey tangerine forecast is increased from a month ago. Estimated utilization of Honey tangerines is over 200,000 boxes ahead of last season, reflecting slightly advanced maturity. The row count survey on March 30-31 showed over 20 percent of the rows remain to be harvested. California's tangerine forecast is 2.40 million boxes (90,000 tons), unchanged from January but down 8 percent from a year ago. Grades have been fair to good, but eating quality and flavor are good to excellent. Defects in California's tangerines include scar, sunburn, pliable fruit, and picking injuries. Arizona's tangerine utilization is expected at 500,000 boxes (19,000 tons), the same as January but 9 percent less than what was utilized last season. Tangelos: Florida's 1997-98 forecast of tangelos is final at 2.85 million boxes (128,000 tons), unchanged from the March 1 forecast. The forecast is down 28 percent from last season's production of 3.95 million boxes, the largest recorded crop since 1987-88. Weekly utilizations have declined steadily. The route survey indicated some rows still remaining for harvest, mostly in small blocks or as pollinators. Temples: The 1997-98 forecast of Florida Temple production is held at 2.30 million boxes (104,000 tons), down 4 percent from a year ago. Although harvest started earlier than last season, estimated certifications as of the end of March are less than last season's level to the same date. Florida Citrus: March was generally colder, wetter, and windier than normal in Florida's citrus belt. Several citrus counties recorded record rainfall for the month. Some groves were not accessible due to water accumu- lation in the grove roads and between tree rows. The abundance of rainfall generated a lot of new growth and bloom buds of all stages. Some Valencia and Navel groves were in full open bloom by the end of the month with many other types following close behind. Early and midseason orange harvest ended for all practical purposes by the end of March. Valencia harvest is very active with estimated weekly utilization now more than seven million boxes. Harvest of all seedless grapefruit is strongest on the lower east coast, and the fruit is moving as both fresh and processing. Picking of Temples and Honey tangerines slowed during the last part of the month as supplies were running low. Caretakers spent most of their time discing and deep plowing to aerate the wet grove soil. A few growers have started post bloom nutritional spraying. As of April 1, more than 31.1 million boxes of Valencias have been moved, well ahead of the 20.0 million that had been utilized by last April 1. Approximately 36.8 million boxes of seedless grapefruit have been utilized. Seedy grapefruit certifications totaled 498,000 boxes. Utilization of all tangerines through March was 4.95 million boxes. Tangelo and Temple movement was 2.81 million boxes and 2.19 million boxes, respectively, by the end of March. Texas Citrus: Harvest moved ahead without much delay during March. The early orange harvest was complete. Harvest of Valencias increased rapidly and moved past the halfway point. Grapefruit harvest passed the 75 percent complete mark with good quality fruit reported. California Citrus: Picking of grapefruit was active, but slow in the desert area. Good size and quality were reported. In the Central Valley, shippers were packing lemons for export. Both domestic and export quality was good. Picking of lemons was also active in the South Coast area with good grades. Growers in both areas were concerned about flatsides, tip bruising, and windscar. Approximately 70 percent of the navel crop has been picked. Good quality was reported with large-sized fruit. Rind breakdown, puff, and crease were reported. By April 1 the Valencia orange harvest was active in all three districts. Most of the fruit has been going to export. Quality was reported as good to excellent. The tangerine harvest was winding down with export and domestic quality fair to good. Eating quality and flavor have been good to excellent. Some scar, sunburn, and picking injuries were reported. California Fruit and Nut: Drier weather during March allowed growers to do more cultural activities in orchards and vineyards. Activities included pruning, weed control and spraying for brown rot. Pollination improved in almond and stone fruit trees with the sunshine and warmer weather. By the end of the month most of the trees were past bloom and were leafing out. Winter Potatoes: Production of winter potatoes in 1998 is estimated at 2.98 million cwt. This is down 5 percent from 1997 but 1 percent above the January 1 forecast. Area for harvest is estimated at 15,000 acres, down 3 percent from a year ago but 3 percent above two years ago. The average yield is projected at 199 cwt per acre, 4 cwt lower than last year and 27 cwt below 1996. Wet winter weather delayed planting and hurt early-planted fields. Some acreage was replanted because of wet soils. Harvest in California is almost finished at the end of a late season. Florida's yields were low at first but improved during the season. Harvest should be active through most of April. Spring Potatoes: Spring potato production is forecast at 20.6 million cwt, down 5 percent from last year and 8 percent below two years ago. Area for harvest is estimated at 87,800 acres, up 2 percent from a year ago but 2 percent below two years ago. The average yield, projected at 234 cwt per acre, is down 18 cwt from last year and 15 cwt below 1996. Acreage is higher than last year in 4 of the 6 Spring States. Wet winter weather slowed planting and damaged early planted fields. Yields are expected to be below last year except in Arizona and Texas. Harvest is underway in Arizona and Central Florida. Early yields are poor in Florida where rain and flooding damaged potatoes. Harvest in the Hastings, Florida area will start in late April and continue through May. Conditions in Alabama have improved with drier weather since the third week in March. Texas harvest will start in early April in the southern regions. California has had a wet spring, and warm weather is needed to move the potatoes along. In North Carolina, wet March weather delayed planting and may lead to lower yields. Summer Potatoes, 1997 Final: The final estimate of summer potatoes places crop production at 18.0 million cwt. This is unchanged from the preliminary estimate made in January. Production was down 8 percent from 1996 but less than 1 percent larger than the 1995 crop. Harvested area was estimated at 65,900 acres, down 12 percent from 1996 and 7 percent below 1995 harvest. The average yield was estimated at 272 cwt per acre, up 11 cwt from 1996 and 18 cwt above 1995. Papayas: Hawaii fresh papaya output is estimated at 2.76 million pounds in March, 4 percent more than February but 5 percent less than last March. Area devoted to papaya production totaled 3,200 acres in March, 9 percent lower than the previous month and 26 percent lower than a year ago. Harvested area, totaling 2,110 acres, was 22 percent higher than February but virtually unchanged from March 1997. Light, passing showers occurred throughout the month. Additional rainfall would benefit non-irrigated areas. Orchards in the Puna area of the Big Island have experienced heavy flower drop due to low moisture. Some new plantings have failed and farmers have been advised to wait until the drought is over before planting again. Fruit normally takes longer to mature at this time of the year, but lack of water has extended time to maturation. Orchards outside of Puna have smaller fruit than normal due to the dry conditions. Peanuts, 1997 Final: U.S. peanut production in 1997 totaled 3.54 billion pounds, down 3 percent from the 1996 crop and virtually unchanged from the January estimate. Planted and harvested areas at 1.43 and 1.41 million acres, respectively, were both up 2 percent from 1996. The U.S. yield per harvested acre averaged 2,507 pounds, down 146 pounds from 1996. Georgia remained the leading peanut producer with 38 percent of the total U.S. peanut production, followed by Texas with 23 percent. Dry weather, disease problems, and insect pressure reduced crop potential in the Southeast and Virginia-North Carolina regions. However, growers in the Southwest enjoyed a banner year. Producers in Texas averaged a record 2,610 pounds per acre, 10 pounds above the previous record set last year. Planted acreage in the Southwest region jumped 12 percent from a year ago. The 1997 marketing year average price received by farmers for peanuts was 26.4 cents per pound, down 1.7 cents from 1996. The value of peanut production for the 1997 crop totaled $932 million, down 9 percent from a year earlier. Report Features The next "Crop Production" report will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on May 12, 1998. Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Crops Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. C. Ray Halley, Chief (202) 720-2127 Field Crops Section Bill Dowdy, Head (202) 720-3843 Kevin Barnes - Soybeans, Minor Oilseeds (202) 720-7369 Rhonda Brandt- Corn (202) 720-7621 Doug Hartwig - Hay (202) 720-8843 Mark E. Miller - Oats, Sugar Crops, Weekly Crop Weather (202) 720-7621 Roger Latham - Cotton, Cotton Ginnings (202) 720-5944 Jerry Ramirez - Barley, Sorghum (202) 690-3234 Barbara Rater - Peanuts, Rice (202) 720-7688 Vaughn Siegenthaler - Wheat, Rye (202) 720-8068 Fruit, Vegetable & Special Crops Section Vince Matthews, Head (202) 720-3843 Arvin Budge - Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes (202) 720-4285 Dave DeWalt - Citrus, Tropical Fruits (202) 720-5412 Howard Hill - Cherries, Berries, Prunes, Plums, Cranberries, Grapes, Maple Syrup (202) 720-7235 Dave Mueller - Fresh and Processing Vegetables, Onions (202) 720-2157 Dave Ranek - Nuts, Floriculture (202) 720-4215 Linda Simpson - Noncitrus Fruits, Mint, Dry Beans & Peas, Mushrooms, Hops (202) 690-0270 Debbie Williams - Apples, Strawberries, Tobacco (202) 720-4288 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. 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