July 2019 - 14

HARVEST OUTLOOK
Extension, said there's an increased
diversity of plantings in recent
years - everything from " arugula to
zucchini " and he expects more of the
same this fall.
Florida growers see themselves
Cold spring, California rains, set up 2019 harvest
By Stephen Kloosterman
Associate Editor
Plantings seem steady, but weather
remains the unknown as growers
estimate harvests yet to come in 2019.
A cold spring had in late May
delayed the harvests of spring crops
like asparagus, while sizeable spring
rains in California also caught the
industry's attention.
Whatever was to come next,
growers seemed to have planted with
a certain optimism. In the Vegetables
and Pulses Outlook published by the
USDA's Economic Research Service
(ERS) officials forecast that a steady
7.7 million vegetable acres would be
planted in 2019 - more than 2018's
7.3 million acres, but less than 2017's
8 million acres and even slightly less
than 2016.
Production was forecast by ERS at
1,299 million cwt. - up from last year's
production (1,269 million cwt.) and 2017
(1,283 million cwt.), but down from
2016 (1,332 million cwt.) Crop value was
forecast at just over $20 billion, more
than a billion over last year's value, but a
billion less than in 2017.
And yet, growers and others in the
industry continued to watch the sky.
Spring rains in California caused
some concern.
" We have had a substantial amount of
rain here in May, " said Daniel Sumner,
director of the University of California's
Agricultural Issues Center. " We're
harvesting crops here year-round, and
San Diego had the coldest May 22nd
in history. So it's cold and rainy and it's
very weird. We expect summertime, and
we're having wintertime in late May.
" It is disruptive, " he said. Rain can get
in the way and slow down harvests in
California, where growers plan for most
precipitation coming in the winter and
don't like rain on standing crops. " I would
defer to people in the industry, but it
certainly is something to keep an eye on. "
Precipitation varied greatly
throughout California's strawberrygrowing
regions. May rains dropped
more than inch of rain on the
strawberry growing regions of
Watsonville and Salinas, while Oxnard
received less than half an inch, said
California Strawberry Commission
Communications Director Carolyn
O'Donnell.
" We have more of a predictable
weather pattern in this year than in
previous years, " she said. " It's not
unusual for us to see some rain in May. "
She said there was a short-term
concern about mold on strawberries
due to the rain.
Meanwhile, southern Florida growers
rejoiced in dodging October 2018's
Hurricane Michael, and will likely
continue diversifying their crops.
Southern Florida plantings typically
begin in August, with harvests starting
in October.
While the state's go-to vegetable
is the fresh tomato, Gene McAvoy,
the University of Florida director of
southern Florida's Hendry County
as competing directly with Mexican
growers, and thus have expanded into
a greater variety of crops, just to stay
competitive.
" Mexico's growers, now anytime they
see something that looks good, they
get into it, " McAvoy said. " They're not
asleep at the wheel. "
Florida in recent years has planted
roughly 45,000 acres of sweet corn,
as well as a sizeable planting of bell
peppers.
Here's more detail on specific crops
around the country:
Strawberries
The California Strawberry
Commission's
acreage surveys
found the
planted acres
were down
6.3% from last
year. Acreage
planted in the fall, harvested during
winter and spring, was reported at
25,704 acres. Acreage to be planted
in the summer of 2019 for harvest in
the fall season was projected at 6,010
CELL POWER®
Zynergy
®
TM
A nutrient formulation of zinc and copper complementing
fungicidal and bactericidal activity of agrochemicals.
CELL POWER ® ZynergyTM is an effective foliar fertilizer with useful synergy in IPM
programs against plant stress.
Trials prove CELL POWER® Zynergy TM used as part of an IPM program can help
lower plant stress and help deliver higher yields in a range of crops.
Call 559-661-6138 Visit www.omexusa.com
@OMEXCompanies /USAOMEX
14 | VegetableGrowersNews.com
http://www.omexusa.com http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com
July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2019
