Jan 25, 2008

2007 Fresh Market Vegetable Production Up 2 Percent from 2006

Fresh market vegetable and melon production for the 24 selected crops estimated in 2007 totaled 494 million cwt., up 2 percent from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Harvested area covered 1.94 million acres, virtually unchanged from 2006. Value of the 2007 crop is estimated at $10.9 billion, up 2 percent from a year ago. The three largest crops, in terms of production, are onions, head lettuce and watermelons, which combined to account for 38 percent of the total production. Head lettuce, tomatoes and onions claim the highest values, accounting for 32 percent of the total value when combined.

Processing Production of 8 Selected Vegetables Up 12 Percent

Processing production of 8 selected vegetables estimated in 2007 totaled 17.8 million tons, up 12 percent from last year. Area harvested is estimated at 1.25 million acres, down slightly from a year ago. Processing crop value is estimated at $1.6 billion, 20 percent above 2006. The three largest crops, in terms of production, are tomatoes, sweet corn, and snap beans, which combine to account for 92 percent of the 8 processing crops estimated in 2007. The three most valuable of the 8 processed vegetables estimated in 2007 are tomatoes, sweet corn and cucumbers for pickles, accounting for 81 percent of the total value when combined.

See a complete list of crops and data, and read the full report here.