E-mail: nass-ny@nass.usda.gov
(518) 457-5570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:  Greg Lemmons
Thursday, December 10, 2009

www.nass.usda.gov/ny


                               NEW YORK DRY BEAN AND POTATO PRODUCTION
                                   ESTIMATED AT RECORD LOWS

	Dry bean production in New York for the 2009 crop totaled a record low 185,000 
hundredweight (cwt), down 43 percent from last year’s production, according to Stephen Ropel, 
Director of USDA=s National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York office.  Harvested acreage, 
at 15,600 acres was down 7 percent from last year, and also a record low.  Yields averaged 
1,190 pounds per acre, down from last year’s record high 1,930 pounds per acre.

	Light red kidney bean production in the state is estimated at 59,000 cwt. compared with 
141,000 cwt. in 2008.  Production came from 5,700 acres harvested.  Light red kidney beans 
accounted for 32 percent of the total dry bean production in New York.  Dark red kidney bean 
production is estimated at 23,000 cwt. compared with 39,000 cwt. in 2008.  Black turtle bean 
production is set at 88,000 cwt., down 34 percent from the 133,000 cwt. produced a year earlier.  
Production of all other varieties totaled 15,000 cwt, up 36 percent from a year ago.

	U.S. dry edible bean production is forecast at 25.2 million cwt. for 2009, virtually 
unchanged from the October 1 forecast but 1 percent below 2008.  Planted area is forecast at 
1.53 million acres, up slightly from the October forecast and 3 percent above 2008.  Harvested 
area is forecast at 1.45 million acres, 1 percent above the October forecast but virtually 
unchanged from the previous year's acreage.  The average U.S. yield is forecast at 1,737 
pounds per acre, a decrease of 17 pounds from October's forecast and 31 pounds below the 
2008 yield.  

	New York production of fall potatoes for 2009 is estimated at a record low 4.95 million 
hundredweight (cwt.), down 13 percent from a year ago.  Harvested acreage at 16,500 was 
down 7 percent from last year and is a new record low.  Yields averaged 300 cwt. per acre, 
down 20 cwt. from last year’s record high 320 cwt..

	U.S. production of fall potatoes for 2009 is forecast at 394 million cwt., up 1 percent 
from the November forecast and 4 percent from last year.  Area harvested, at 919,400 acres, is 
slightly below the November forecast and 2008 estimate.  The average yield, forecast at 429 cwt. 
per acre, is up 3 cwt. per acre from November's forecast and up 18 cwt. from last year.  If 
realized, it will be the highest yield on record.
 
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12-10-09