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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:  Brent Farley
Thursday, January 29, 2009

www.nass.usda.gov/ny

                     VALUE OF NEW YORK FRESH VEGETABLES
                           RANKS FIFTH IN NATION

The value of all New York vegetable production in 2008 totaled $468
million, according to Stephen Ropel, Director of USDA’s National
Agricultural Statistics Service, New York Field Office.   New York is fifth
in the nation in area harvested, production, and value of principal fresh
market vegetables.

The value of the Empire State’s principal fresh market vegetables totaled
$406 million this year.  Fresh market production in 2008 was estimated at
16.2 million hundredweight (cwt.).  Planted acreage decreased from 73,470
acres in 2007 to 68,710 acres in 2008.

Processing vegetables were valued at $61.7 million in 2008 and production
totaled 242 thousand tons.

New York onion yields averaged 410 cwt. per acre, up 50 cwt. from last
year.  Year 2008 production is estimated at 4.14 million cwt., up 10
percent from last year.  Value is up 49 percent to a total of $57.7
million.

New York’s fresh market cabbage production for 2008, estimated at 5.84
million cwt., is up from 2007’s production of 5.15 million cwt.  Price was
a record setting $19.20 per cwt.  New York ranked first in the nation for
fresh market cabbage production in 2008.

Fresh market sweet corn acreage was up in 2008.  A total of 22,900 acres
were harvested, a 2 percent increase from last year.  Yields increased from
120 cwt. per acre in 2007 to 125 cwt. per acre in 2008.   Total value was
at $73.9 million, up 24 percent from last year.

New York is ranked third in the nation on value of the 2008 New York fresh
market snap bean crop, at $40.5 million.  Harvested acres decreased from
7,800 to 6,600 acres.  Yield increased from 56 cwt per acre to 73 cwt per
acre.  Total production was 482,000 cwt., up 10 percent from last year due
to higher yields.

Pumpkins showed a value of $38.4 million, first in the nation.  There were
5,900 acres harvested for a production of 1.06 million cwt.  Value of
production in 2008 increased 69 percent from 2007.

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1-29-09