This report reflects conditions as of April 1 and represents acreage for harvest during the months of April through July. Estimated acreage for harvest by growing areas is presented in order: area, previous year (1997), current year (1998).

WEATHER: Rainy weather persisted during January through March. Strong winds that accompanied storms tossed crops and blew off blooms with wind-borne sand scarring fruit. Spring crop yield prospects for most crops are below normal due to this wind damage. However, virtually all crops escaped damage from tornadoes spawned by these storms. Muddy soils delayed some planting in most areas and damaged some root crops around Zellwood. January precipitation ranged from an inch at Miami to over eleven inches at West Palm Beach. February totals ranged from about four and a half inches at Key West to over ten inches at Tampa. March rain totaled from about two and three forths inches at Jacksonville to six and a half inches at Valparaiso. Most January temperatures averaged three to four degrees above normal. February temperatures were within a degree or two of normal. March temperatures plunged to freezing levels over many western Panhandle and northern and central Peninsula localities during March 11 through 13 with monthly average temperatures mostly two to three degrees below normal during March.

SNAP BEANS: Crop condition has improved with warm, dry weather during late March and early April. The current snap bean condition is fair to good. Harvesting is active with quality and color ranging from fair to very good. (Dade County and East Coast, 3,500, 4,300; Southwest and Everglades, 4,000, 4,500; Central, North, and West, 4,500, 4,200; all areas, 12,000, 13,000).

CABBAGE: The wet weather during the winter slowed the growth and development of the crop. The quality has been fair to good. Head size has been smaller than normal. Harvest is active in most areas. (Hastings, North, and West, 1,400, 1,500; Central and South, 1,800, 1,800; all areas, 3,200, 3,300).

CARROTS: The frequent rainfall in January, February, and March flooded some fields with a significant acreage lost. Spring crop plantings and winter crop digging were delayed due to muddy conditions. Heavy culling caused below normal yields for some of the winter crop. The near freezing temperatures during early March caused no significant damage. (All areas, 1,900, 1,800).

SWEET CORN: Southwestern growers started spring planting in late January. Zellwood plantings started during late February with the March storms causing delays due to muddy fields. Strong winds during February storms lodged some spring crop acreage in the Everglades and Southwest regions with plants making full recovery. Pulling started in the Everglades region during March. Cold temperatures near mid-March hindered kernel development with balmy conditions during late March into early April speeding ear development. (Central, 6,000, 6,400; Everglades, 20,100, 19,100; Southeast and Southwest, 1,900, 1,400; West and North, 2,300, 2,200; all areas, 30,300, 29,100).

CUCUMBERS: Cooler temperatures and windy conditions affected plant growth and development throughout January, February, and March. Wind breaks helped to limit the damage in some East Coast and Southwest localities. (North, 400, 500; Central, 1,130, 1,500; Southwest, 1,270, 900; Southeast, 2,800, 2,300; all areas, 5,600, 5,200)

EGGPLANT: Weather and growing conditions have been fair for eggplant during the early and late parts of the WINTER growing season. Overall growth and development have remained slow. Currently, harvest of a light volume remains underway. Quality is variable. Plants that will be harvested during the spring season look fair at this time. (All areas, 500, 500).

ESCAROLE-ENDIVE: Heavy rainfall severely damaged some fall crop acreage in the Zellwood area. Wind and low temperatures in early January caused some leaf burn in both the Everglades and Central regions. The crop suffered only light damage from early February adverse weather. Clearer weather during late February improved crop condition. Rains during March interrupted some harvesting. (All areas, 600, 550).

BELL PEPPER: Storms during January, February, and most of March blew blooms and foliage off plants which lowered yield prospects for the spring crop. The loss of foliage left some fruit in the East Coast area exposed to the sun and susceptible to scalding. Palmetto-Ruskin growers started planting in late January with some acreage replanted due to damage from February and March storms and cold temperatures just before mid-March. Southwestern producers finished planting by about mid-February. (Southeast, 1,250, 1,300; Southwest, 2,700, 2,900; Central and North, 3,150, 3,100; all areas, 7,100, 7,300)

TOMATOES: Storms during January, February, and March blew blooms off plants and scarred fruit which resulted in lower spring crop yield prospects. Cold weather near mid-March severely damaged plants in the Palmetto-Ruskin area with growers making spot resets. (Palmetto-Ruskin, 7,200, 7,400; Southwest, 2,600, 2,500; East Coast, 1,200, 1,700; Dade, 600, 600; North, 1,500, 1,500; all areas, 13,100, 13,700)

WATERMELONS: The wet soil conditions during winter slowed planting of the spring watermelon crop. The mid-March freeze killed some of the early planted northern acreage. The lost acreage was replanted. Planting is active in the north. The warm, dry weather in late March and April has helped the growth and development of the crop. (All areas, 30,000, 34,000).

The prospective area for harvest of 13 selected fresh market vegetables during the spring quarter is forecast at 229,600 acres, up 1 percent from last year. Acreage increases in snap beans, carrots, sweet corn, head lettuce, and bell peppers more than offset decreases in broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, escarole/endive, and tomatoes. Acreage for eggplant was unchanged. Acreage for spring harvest of 3 selected melons is estimated at 115,300 acres, up 2 percent from last year. Cantaloups, honeydews, and watermelon acreage all showed increases from last year.

TOMATOES: Intended acreage for harvest is forecast at 30,550 acres, down 2 percent from 1997. In California, winter rains delayed planting in the San Joaquin Valley. Although much rain was received in South Carolina, producers believed that this had little impact on the acreage of tomatoes planted. In Alabama, cool, wet conditions delayed planting and transplanting by about one week.

WATERMELONS: Acreage intended for harvest is estimated at 69,100 acres, up 2 percent from last year. Cool weather delayed planting and transplanting about a week in Alabama. California's desert crop was sprayed for whiteflies and mildew. Frost was also a problem in January and February, but milder conditions in March enhanced growing conditions.

Vegetables for fresh market, prospective acreage for harvest, spring quarter by States, 1998 with comparisons
Selected crops and States	Usual harvest period	Spring acreage			1998 area for harvest as percent of 1997
		Harvested		For harvest 1998
		1996	1997
		Acres			Percent
SNAP BEANS:
Florida	Apr-Jun	9,000	12,000	13,000	108
Georgia	Apr-Jun	5,500	3,800	4,200	111
New Jersey	Jun-Jul	1,000	1,000	1,100	110
South Carolina	May-Aug	1,200	1,500	1,200	80
Total		16,700	18,300	19,500	107
CABBAGE:
Florida	Apr-Jun	3,100	3,200	3,300	103
Georgia	Apr-Jun	3,700	5,500	5,100	93
New Jersey	Jun-Jul	1,100	1,100	1,200	109
Texas	Apr-Jun	1,500	1,100	1,200	109
Total		9,400	10,900	10,800	99
CARROTS:
Florida	Apr-Jun	1,800	1,900	1,800	95
California	Apr-Jun	17,600	16,800	18,000	107
Texas	Apr-Jun	1,000	700	1,900	271
Total		20,400	19,400	21,700	112
SWEET CORN:
Florida	Apr-Jun	29,900	30,300	29,100	96
California	Apr-Jun	9,600	10,800	12,500	116
Total		39,500	41,100	41,600	101
CUCUMBERS:
Florida	Jan-Jun	5,900	5,600	5,200	93
South Carolina	May-Aug	1,200	1,000	1,200	120
Texas	Apr-Jun	700	600	600	100
Total		7,800	7,200	7,000	97
EGGPLANT:
Florida	Apr-Jul	500	500	500	100
ESCAROLE/ENDIVE:
Florida	Apr-Jul	650	600	550	92
New Jersey	May-Aug	400	400	400	100
Total		1,050	1,000	950	95
BELL PEPPERS: 1/
Florida	Apr-Jun	7,100	7,100	7,300	103
Texas	Apr-Jun	1,000	800	700	88
Total		8,100	7,900	8,000	101
TOMATOES:
Florida	Apr-Jun	15,700	13,100	13,700	105
Alabama	Jun-Jul	700	700	600	86
Arkansas	Jun-Aug	500	550	650	118
California	Apr-Jun	6,700	10,000	8,400	84
South Carolina	May-Jul	3,800	3,700	3,600	97
Texas	Apr-Jun	3,900	3,200	3,600	113
Total		31,300	31,250	30,550	98
WATERMELON:
Florida	Apr-Jun	34,000	30,000	34,000	113
Alabama	Jun-Jul	2,900	1,700	2,100	124
Arizona	Apr-Jun	6,700	6,900	7,600	110
California	May-Jun	6,000	4,900	4,400	90
Texas	Apr-Jun	30,000	24,000	21,000	88
Total		79,600	67,500	69,100	102
TOTAL OF CROPS LISTED
Florida		107,650	104,300	108,450	104
United States		214,350	205,050	209,700	102
TOTAL OF CROPS ESTIMATED
United States 2/		349,650	340,050	344,900	101
1/ Includes fresh market and processing. 2/ Total of crops listed plus broccoli, cauliflower, celery, head lettuce, cantaloups, and honeydew melons.