Fresh
Vegetable Harvested Acreage Up 1 Percent
The prospective area for
harvest of 11 selected fresh market vegetables during the fall quarter
is forecast at 164,250 acres, up 1 percent from last year. Acreage
increased for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, and sweet corn,
while acreage decreased for snap beans, cucumbers, head lettuce, bell
peppers, and tomatoes. Acreage for carrots remained the same. Area
forecasted for melon harvest is 14,500 acres, up 14 percent from last
year’s comparable commodities. Cantaloupe harvested area is
forecast at 10,000 acres, up 18 percent from 2002. Honeydew harvested
area is forecast at 4,500 acres, up 7 percent from last fall. Watermelon
acreage is not available this season due to the seasonal forecast
for Arizona being discontinued in 2003. End of season estimates for
watermelons will be published in the January 2004 annual.
Summer
Storage Onion Production Up 3 Percent
Summer storage onion production
is forecast at 48.5 million hundredweight, up 3 percent from last
year. Storage onion harvested area is forecast at 103,680 acres, virtually
unchanged from 2002. California production, at 14.0 million hundredweight,
is 14 percent higher than 2002. Harvested area is expected to be 33,300
acres, up 10 percent from last year.
