HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS
Week ending June 15, 1997
Released 4:00 P.M.
June 16, 1997
WEATHER SUMMARY: Rainfall varied from a trace in Tampa to over 9 inches in
the Miami area during the week of June 8 to June 14. Miami and surrounding
areas experienced some flooding due to the heavy rains. Most temperatures
averaged normal to three degrees below normal for the week. Daytime highs
averaged in the mid 80s for all areas of the State. Low temperatures
averaged in the low 70s for all areas of the State except Jacksonville
where the low average temperature was 69.
FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the Panhandle
and northern Peninsula with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Moisture
in the southern part of the Peninsula is adequate to surplus. One hundred
percent of the peanuts have been planted. Nineteen percent of the peanuts
have pegged. Peanut condition: poor 1%, fair 10%, good 84%, excellent 5%.
Cotton planting is virtually complete. Soybean planting is active. Haying
is active. Sugarcane growth is normal. Corn is tasseling and silking.
Forage and tobacco are making good growth. Cotton growth has been slow due
to cooler than normal temperatures.
Moisture Topsoil Subsoil
Rating Last week This week Last week This week
Percent
Very short 0 0 0 0
Short 19 17 21 22
Adequate 74 68 73 67
Surplus 7 15 6 11
LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture and range were in fair to excellent
condition. Recent rain showers have significantly improved permanent
pastures. The condition of the cattle is on the mend due to improved
pasture conditions.
Range Cattle
Condition
Last week This week Last week This week
Percent
Very poor 0 0 0 0
Poor 0 0 0 0
Fair 30 20 25 20
Good 65 65 70 65
Excellent 5 15 5 15
CITRUS: Summer rains have arrived in the citrus belt. Ponds, lakes and
streams are low and need to be refilled by the daily showers and
thunderstorms. New growth has started to show on most well-cared-for young
trees and a few older trees. New crop fruit continues to make good
progress. Dropping of little green fruit has virtually abated as most trees
have adjusted to the size crop they can carry for next fruit season.
Current crop Valencia oranges and seedless grapefruit remaining to be
picked are generally in good condition. Harvest of Valencia oranges is
slowing as supplies are running low in some areas. Picking of seedless
grapefruit is slow as most grapefruit picking crews are through for the
season.
Caretakers are cutting cover crops, spraying, fertilizing and summer
herbiciding. Pushing and burning dead trees and replanting is active in all
areas.
Estimated boxes harvested week ended
Crop Jun 2 Jun 9 Jun 15
Valencia oranges 5,776,000 3,860,000 NA
All grapefruit 563,000 256,000 NA
VEGETABLES: Tomato harvest continues active in the northern areas. In the
southern areas most harvesting of vegetable crops is over. Some local sales
continue. Major vegetables shipped: watermelons, tomatoes, sweet corn,
peppers, and cucumbers.
SNAP BEANS: North, North Central--Picking is almost over. Palmetto-Ruskin,
Dade, East Coast, Southwest-- Harvest is complete.
CABBAGE: Harvest is complete.
CARROTS: Zellwood--Harvest is winding down. Only a light volume is
remaining. Quality remains generally good.
SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Harvest continues very active. Yields and quality are
very good. Harvest is expected to continue through the first week of July.
The market has been very good. Everglades--The harvest is complete. East
Coast--The last corn acreage was pulled this week. Season is finished. Very
good quality from limited acreage.
CUCUMBERS: North--Picking continues. Quality remains fair to mostly good.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvest continues to wind down. U-Pics are still active.
Fruit size is fair to good. Color is fair. Southwest--Season is over. East
Coast--Harvest is over.
EGGPLANT: East Coast--Workers busy on cutting strings, pulling stakes and
bundling. Cleanup active. Growers are mowing and discing up old crop.
Palmetto-Ruskin-- Harvest is complete except for a few U-Pics.
Southwest--The season is over.
ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: The season is over.
LETTUCE: The season is over.
OKRA: Dade--Harvest continues with good quality and yield. Crop looks good.
Rains did not do damage to the fields. A fair volume for at least the next
four weeks is expected.
PEPPERS: North--Picking continues active. Quality is mostly good. East
Coast--Harvest is complete for the season. Workers are busy cutting
strings, pulling and bundling stakes, mowing old crop and pulling up
plastic that will not be used for a double crop in the fall.
Palmetto-Ruskin--U-Pics are still active. Fruit quality is fair. Size is
small and medium. Southwest--Harvest is over. Cleanup is underway.
POTATOES: Southwest, Dade, West Central--Harvest is complete.
Hastings--Harvest is virtually complete.
RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging is finished.
SQUASH: North, North Central--Picking of a very light volume continues.
Palmetto-Ruskin--A very small acreage plus some U- Pic harvesting remains.
Quality and condition are fair to good. Size is variable. East
Coast--Harvest is finished.
TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting continues with the first pick almost finished.
Volume is near normal and quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition
is fair. Harvest is quickly winding down. Some small acreage was opened to
U-Pic. Farmers are cleaning fields and getting ready for fall planting.
East Coast--Volume was light and harvest was completed this week. Quality
was good to the end of the season. Dade-- Season is complete. Growers are
still hauling plastic out of the fields and cleaning fields.
Southwest--Crop is finished. Growers are cleaning up.
CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin-- The crop remains in fair condition as
harvest continues to wind down. Fair size and color are available.
Southwest--The season is over.
PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin-- Harvest is winding down or complete in all
areas. Crop condition, quality, and color are fair. Volume is very light.
WATERMELONS: North, North Central--Harvest is active in most areas.
Palmetto-Ruskin, Southwest--Harvest is complete.