USDA Issues Higher Vegetable Production Forecast

The 2009 contracted processing vegetable production for the four major processing crops (snap beans, sweet corn, green peas, and tomatoes) is forecast at 18.5 million tons, up 14% from last year, USAgNet reports.

Production of processing tomatoes, at 14.1 million tons, is 16% above 2008. Snap bean production, at 806,920 tons, is up 2% from last year’s production. Sweet corn production, at 3.16 million tons, is up 13% from last year. Green pea production, at 400,920 tons, is 3% below 2008. Contracted area for harvest of the four major processing vegetable crops, at 1.12 million acres, is 6% above 2008.

Production of the 2009 asparagus crop is forecast at 797,000 cwt (hundred weight), down 16% from 2008. Area harvested, at 30,700 acres, is down 5% from last year. Fresh production of 601,000 cwt, declined 16% from 2008. Processed production, at 9,800 tons, is down 16% from last year.

The end-of-season spring onion production estimate, at 9.43 million cwt, is down 2% from last year. Area harvested, at 27,000 acres, is down 5% from a year ago, but yield, at 349 cwt per acre, is up 11 cwt per acre from 2008. The value of the spring crop is estimated at 210 million dollars, 1% below last year.