The prospective area for
harvest of 11 selected fresh market vegetables during the spring
quarter is forecast at 222,400 acres, up 3 percent from last year.
Acreage increased for all forecasted vegetables except for celery
which remains unchanged and sweet corn which decreased 3 percent.
Melon acreage for spring harvest is forecast at 83,700 acres, up
7 percent from last year. Cantaloupe acreage is up 13 percent from
a year ago. Watermelon acreage is up 5 percent from 2003. Honeydew
melon acreage is down 7 percent. Asparagus acreage for spring harvest
is forecast at 53,500 acres, down 20 percent from last year. Strawberry
acreage for harvest is forecast at 44,100 acres, up 9 percent from
comparable States in 2003.
Processors expect to contract 1.27 million acres of the 5 major
processed vegetable crops in the U.S. this year, down 1 percent
from last year. Acreage decreases are forecast for green peas, snap
beans, and sweet corn, while cucumbers for pickles and tomatoes
show increases. Freezing firms expect a 3 percent decrease from
2003, with 407,200 acres under contract. Sweet corn acreage for
freezing is down 7 percent. However, green pea acreage is up 2 percent
from 2003. Snap bean acreage is up 1 percent from last year. Canneries
contracted for 859,400 acres, virtually unchanged from 2003. Acreage
for snap beans is down 5 percent from last season. Green pea acreage
is down 16 percent from a year ago. Cucumbers for pickles increased
18 percent, sweet corn acreage is up 3 percent, and tomato acreage
is 1 percent above last year.
Total planted onion acreage for all seasons in 2004 is forecast
at 177,270 acres, up 6 percent from last year. Spring onions will
be harvested from 37,100 acres in 2004, up 17 percent from 2003.
Georgia and Texas combined production is forecast at 6.93 million
cwt, 21 percent above last year. Summer non-storage onion planted
acreage, at 23,200 acres, is up 2 percent. Total summer onion acreage,
at 138,470 acres, is up 5 percent from the previous year.
NASS--Fact Finders for Agriculture, United States Department of
Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
