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.