fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending November 9, 2003 Released 4:00 P.M. November 10, 2003 Report Code FL-CW4103 Weather Summary Report Warm, wet weather continued during the week of November 2 through 8. Temperatures in the major cities averaged three to twelve degrees above normal. Daytime highs were in the 80s. Nighttime lows were in the 60s and 70s with a few northern and central Peninsula and a few Panhandle localities reporting at least one low in the 50s. Rainfall ranged from traces in some northern and central Peninsula and some Panhandle areas, to over six inches in Miami. Rain for the week totaled over five inches in Dover, Homestead, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Field Crops Report Santa Rosa cotton harvesting is about 85 percent finished while picking in Calhoun County is nearing completion. Cotton picking is active in Jefferson County and pecan harvesting is beginning. Gadsden County peanut digging is finished while some Jackson County harvesting was interrupted by rainfall. Statewide, peanut harvesting is 99 percent finished compared with 97 percent completed by this date last year and the five-year average of 98 percent. Sugarcane harvesting remains active in the Everglades area. Soil moisture increased in the areas that received abundant rains with most supplies, statewide, rated adequate. Areas reporting surplus moisture include Dade, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Jackson counties. Several localities scattered statewide reported short but increasing moisture supplies. A small area along the southeastern coast continues to report very short soil moisture. Peanut Progress Chart Percentage of Peanuts Harvested To Date This year 99% Last year 97% 5 - year average 98% Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture Rating This Last Last This Last Last week week year week week Year Percent Very short 1 1 3 0 2 3 Short 4 14 25 5 13 26 Adequate 85 83 70 85 80 69 Surplus 10 2 2 10 5 2 Vegetable Report Producers are harvesting to help meet the Thanksgiving Day demand. Tomato picking is gaining momentum in the Palmetto-Ruskin, Immokalee and East Coast areas. Tomato harvesting around Quincy is starting to slow. Other vegetables and fruits available include snap beans, cantaloupes, sweet corn, cucumbers, pickles, eggplant, okra, peppers, squash and watermelons. Livestock Report In the Panhandle, the planting of small grain winter pasture is active, with most already planted. The pasture conditon is mostly good. In the northern area, early planted rye is showing severe leaf spot. The pasture condition is mostly fair. In the central and southern areas, most range and pasture is in good condition. Statewide, the condtion of the cattle is mostly good. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 0 0 0 Fair 20 30 15 20 Good 70 70 75 70 Excellent 10 0 10 10 Fruit Report Citrus: Rainfall occurred, although widely scattered, in most of the citrus producing areas of the state. Some areas received trace amounts while some east coast areas received 2.5 inches. Central and lower interior areas received up to 2 inches from a semi-tropical system that moved through the state mid-week. Most growers have returned to frequent irrigation in the sand hill locations to maintain surface moisture levels and to keep fruit growing. Warmer temperatures prevailed all week. Fall cultural practices include limited spray applications in some groves with fresh fruit crops. Cover crop control and dead tree removal and replacement are also occurring in some groves. Fruit growth is reported good and the majority of trees in sand hill locations are in excellent condition. Natural color break is showing on all crops of early tangerines, early oranges, and grapefruit. Most fresh fruit packing houses are open. Varieties being packed include early oranges (Navels, Ambersweet, and Hamlins), white and colored grapefruit, Sunburst tangerines, and Nova and Orlando tangelos. Several processing plants are receiving eliminations and others are opening this week as harvesting crews arrive for the winter. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 26 Nov 2 Nov 9 Navel oranges 173,000 158,000 154,000 Early and Mid oranges 503,000 1,356,000 2,531,000 Grapefruit 644,000 750,000 738,000 Tangerines 196,000 244,000 298,000 Tangelos 3,000 3,000 7,000 Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, log onto http://www.usda.gov/nass/sso-rpts.htm Then click on “Subscribe” (upper right part of screen), then select “Florida Crop-Weather”, enter your name and your e-mail address, then click on “Subscribe”. The report will be sent automatically to your e-mail address each week.