Week ending April 13, 1997
Released 4:00 P.M.
April 14, 1997
WEATHER SUMMARY: Rainfall totals ranged from one third inch to about an
inch and a half at the major stations during the week of April 6 through
12. Most temperatures during the week ranged from lows in the 50s and 60s
to highs in the 70s and 80s with some northern areas recording lows in the
40s on at least one day. Temperatures averaged from normal to four degrees
above normal for the week. For the month of March rainfall totaled from
about a half inch below normal to over four inches below at most stations,
except for Orlando at a quarter inch above, and West Palm Beach at about a
half inch above. Temperatures for March averaged four to eight degrees
above normal.
FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the State
with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Tobacco
transplanting and field corn planting are virtually complete. Less than one
percent of the peanuts are planted. Growers are making preparations to
start cotton planting. Ground preparation for spring planted crops is
active.
Moisture Topsoil Subsoil
Rating Last week This week Last week This week
Percent
Very short 8 5 10 5
Short 54 58 41 53
Adequate 38 32 49 42
Surplus 0 5 0 0
LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture conditions improved with conditions
reported in mostly fair to good condition. Most areas received rain but are
generally in need of additional moisture. Cattle are in fair to mostly good
condition.
Range Cattle
Condition
Last week This week Last week This week
Percent
Very poor 0 0 0 0
Poor 30 10 0 1
Fair 30 55 55 43
Good 40 35 45 54
Excellent 0 0 0 2
CITRUS: There were varying amounts of rain in all areas of the citrus belt
Friday through Sunday this week. This much needed moisture will greatly
enhance tree condition during this all important fruit set period. There
continues to be a lot of new growth on trees of all ages. Harvest of
Valencia oranges is very active as these fruit are near peak maturity. Most
of these late oranges are going to the processors. Grapefruit movement
remains very steady with most coming from the lower east coast. Most are
also going to juice plants, however a lot of the grapefruit being processed
are arriving as packing house eliminations. Harvest of Temples and Honey
tangerines continues to slow as supplies are running low.
Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops. Spring
herbicides are being applied in most groves to reduce weed growth under
trees. Hedging and topping continue with chopping and bush hogging of the
chopped limbs. Dead tree removal and pushing of undesirable varieties has
been reported in some larger groves.
Estimated boxes harvested week ended
Crop Mar 30 Apr 6 Apr 13
Early and Mid oranges 7,000 4,000 0
Valencia oranges 5,022,000 6,291,000 7,015,000
All grapefruit 3,035,000 2,941,000 2,604,000
Tangerines 80,000 74,000 68,000
Temples 75,000 26,000 21,000
VEGETABLES: Scattered afternoon showers over the southern Peninsula
interrupted fieldwork during the latter part of the week. Watermelon
harvesting is underway in the Southwest and West Central regions. Vegetable
volume leaders: tomatoes, potatoes, sweet corn, peppers, cabbage,
cucumbers.
SNAP BEANS: Dade--Most young acreage remains in good condition. Picking
continues with good quality and yield being realized. Volume is declining
seasonally but is expected to remain fair over the next two weeks. Growers
are combating disease in a few fields. Everglades--Harvesting is active
with good quality and yield. Southwest--The crop is in good condition.
Picking continues at a steady pace with good quality available. Yield
remains good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good.
Harvesting is underway. Quality and yield are fair to good. Sizes are
variable. Color is good. Volume is increasing seasonally. East Coast--Crop
condition remains mostly good. Youngest plants are growing well with pin
beans continuing to form. Harvesting by hand and machine continues with a
very limited acreage of open ground and plastic picked. Quality and color
are mostly good.
CABBAGE: Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Crop in good condition.
Growth and development normal. Central-- Harvest steady. Quality is
variable. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size and
color good. Volume and yield fair to good. Crop in fair to good condition.
Growth and development normal. Dade--Very little cabbage left to harvest as
hot weather is not doing the cabbage crop any good.
CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging is active with good yield and very good quality
available. Growers packed about a third of the volume as jumbo grade.
SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking is active. Yield and quality are good.
Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking is steady. Yield and quality are
good. Dade--Picking is starting to slow seasonally. Quality and yield are
good. East Coast--Crop condition is rated good. Ear development is
improving. Harvesting of a moderate volume is active. Quality is good.
Workers are cleaning acreage completely picked. Zellwood--Plant growth is
good with ears developing very well. Picking will begin during the last
week of April.
CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is increasing.
First picks are providing very good quality and color. All sizes are
available. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues
at a steady pace. Yield and quality are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is
fair to good. Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is fair to good.
Fresh market sizes are mostly medium. Pickle harvesting is producing fair
to good quality fruit of good size and color. Dade--Pickle harvesting
remains active with good quality and yield available. Volume will remain
good into May. Zellwood--Plants are growing well with growers expecting an
average crop.
EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. First picks are providing
very good quality and color with fancy grades available. Later picks are
producing fancy and choice grades. Volume increased slightly at the end of
the week. Dade--Condition is being affected by wind and heat. Cutting
continues with fair quality and yield being realized. A small volume is
available through late April. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is good. Cutting
is slowly gaining momentum. Quality is good with medium and some large
sizes harvested. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Cutting
remains steady with a light volume being harvested. Quality is good. Sumter
County--Crop condition is very good with growers irrigating as needed.
ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting continues at a very
active pace. Quality and yield are good with a good volume available.
LETTUCE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continues with good to very good
quality available.
OKRA: Dade--Warm temperatures are speeding maturation. Picking is
increasing with good quality and yield being realized. A good volume is
available for the next two months.
PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition remains good. Picking is steady with
growers getting good yields. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is
fair to good. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality and color are fair to
good. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Crown picks
of green Bells are producing good sizes of very good quality. Volume is
moderate for green Bells and light for red Bells and specialty varieties.
Producers continue to clean acreage completely harvested. Sumter
County--Crop condition is very good with growers irrigating as needed.
POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition good. Growth and development good.
Harvest winding down. Quality and yield good. Dade--Harvest winding down.
Quality good. West Central- -Crop condition fair. Growth and development
normal. Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size variable.
Hastings--Growers starting to harvest table stock. Yield fairly good. Crop
in good condition. Growth and development normal. Spraying to keep blight
under control.
RADISHES: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting of a good supply continues.
Quality and yield are good.
SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is good. Picking is steady. Quality and yield
are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is
increasing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are
variable. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Cutting of zucchini, yellow
varieties is active. Quality and color are good with fancy and medium
grades available. Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Harvesting
continues. Yield and quality are good with a good volume available
throughout April. Workers are irrigating fields as needed. Sumter
County--Crop condition is very good with growers irrigating as needed.
Harvesting is gaining momentum.
STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is
nearing the end with growers opening fields to U- Pic. Quality and color
are fair. Sizes are variable. Dade--Hot and windy weather is lowering
condition with U-Pic harvesting nearing the end. Plant City--Gleaners
picked fields over, finding a very small amount of fruit. Virtually all
harvesting is completed.
TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is
slowly gaining momentum. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are running
mostly medium and small with some large sizes available. Yield and packout
are fair. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting
remains steady. Quality and yield are good. Sizes are running extra large
to large for first picks and large to medium for later picks. Packout is
normal. Volume is increasing seasonally. East Coast--Crop condition is
mostly good. Picking remains active with crown picks yielding very good
quality of extra large and large sizes. Growers are continuing to make
second and third picks. Gradeout is about normal. Yield is improving.
Dade--Hot temperatures are causing rapid fruit maturation. Producers have
made at least one pick from virtually all acreage with pinhookers removing
red fruit from most fields after the first pick. Size and quality are good.
Sizes are running large to extra large to medium. Packout is improving. A
fair volume is available for the next two to three weeks. Quincy--
Transplanting is completed. Strong winds are affecting some plant growth
and fruit development. Sumter County--Crop condition is very good with
growers irrigating as needed.
CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Picking
continues with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair
to good condition. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality and size are
fair to good. Color is good.
PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting
continues at a steady pace. Yield and quality are good.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Picking is gaining momentum.
Quality and color are good. Sizes are normal.
WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is good as cutting gets underway.
Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Condition is fair. Cutting is getting
underway with medium and some large sizes available. Quality is fair.
Volume is light. Columbia County--Growers irrigated most acreage to ensure
adequate soil moisture supplies. Jefferson County--Runners are about ten to
twelve inches. Sumter County--Crop condition is very good with growers
irrigating as needed.