fl-crop-weather
State
Florida Crop Weather

Week Ending/Released Dates
Week ending April 27, 2003
Released 4:00 P.M. April 28, 2003

Report Code
FL-CW1703

Weather Summary Report
Scattered rains eased drying conditions in some areas
during the week of April 20 through 26. Rainfall ranged from about a half
inch to over four inches. Most localities received about an inch of rain
for the week. Temperatures averaged from one degree below to one above
normal in the major cities. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s while
nighttime lows were in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Several stations recorded at
least one low in the 40s.

Field Crops Report
Moisture supplies declined with topsoil supplies rated mostly
short to adequate and subsoil supplies rated short to mostly adequate.
Central and southern Peninsula areas report some very short moisture
supplies while some surplus supplies still exist in the Panhandle. Peanut
planting is underway with two percent planted. Some peanut producers are
delaying planting to avoid disease infestation. Cotton planting is active
in the Panhandle. Most corn growers finished planting. Sugarcane harvesting
is finished. Hay making is active in drier areas of the Peninsula.

Soil Moisture Chart
                            Topsoil                     Subsoil
     Moisture
     Rating         This      Last     Last      This     Last      Last
                    week     week      year     week      week     Year
                                           Percent
 Very short             10        1         2        5         0        2
 Short                  55       34        65       40        30       57
 Adequate               30       55        33       55        65       41
 Surplus                 5       10         0        0         5        0

Vegetable Report
Watermelon picking is underway with very light supplies
available. Tomato harvesting is increasing seasonally as more west central
area growers start to pick. Other vegetables available include cabbage,
cantaloupes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, sweet corn, eggplant, peppers,
potatoes, radishes, squash, and light supplies of endive, escarole,
lettuce, and okra.

Livestock Report
Cattle condition is fair to good. Pastures are fair
to mostly good in the Panhandle and mostly fair to good across the
Peninsula with very few reports from the Panhandle and southern Peninsula
reporting poor pastures.

Livestock Condition Chart
                                 Range                    Cattle
       Condition            This         Last        This         Last
                           week         week         week         week
                                              Percent
 Very poor                        0            0           0            0
 Poor                            15            0           0            0
 Fair                            25           40          50           15
 Good                            60           55          50           85
 Excellent                        0            5           0            0

Fruit Report
Citrus: Most of this week was warm and dry, however Friday and early
Saturday morning there were a lot of hard rains and thunderstorms. Varying
amounts and sizes of hail fell in scattered locations. Rainfall totals were
in the one to five inch range with the larger amounts falling in some of
the west coast counties. Up until the weekend, growers and caretakers had
been irrigating around the clock to keep their trees in good condition
during the current fruit set period. Some trees have already started
dropping the excessive fruit they cannot carry for next season. Harvesting
crews were very active this week moving large quantities of Valencia
oranges to the processors. Some of the juice plants are closing for the
weekends so that they can run longer hours more efficiently during the
week. Movement of both colored and white grapefruit continues to slow down
as supplies run low in most areas. Several of the fresh fruit packing
houses on the lower east coast have closed for the season as they have run
out of good marketable fruit. The last of the Temples are being picked,
most of which are being processed. Honey Tangerines are just about over for
this season.
  Caretakers are very busy mowing, chopping and discing cover crops.
Postbloom nutritional sprays are generally complete and the second time
around sprays are underway. Hedging and topping continue in harvested
groves with most of the debris being cut up with bush hogs. Dead trees are
being removed and burned. New trees are being planted where there is
sufficient irrigation to keep the trees alive until the summer rains
arrive.

                    Estimated boxes harvested week ended
           Crop                 Apr 13         Apr 20          Apr 27
 Valencia oranges                 7,429,000      6,942,000       6,697,000
 All grapefruit                   1,000,000      1,183,000         697,000
 Honey tangerines                   122,000        107,000          85,000
 Temples                              9,000          1,000               0

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