FRUIT

The weather conditions had an adverse effect on fruit crops in 1996. Heavy rain during the spring caused high insect and fungi damage. There were reports of poor pollination due to the lack of bees. The quality of fruit was poor to average for most crops as a result.

Total production of the five fruit and berry crops during 1996 amounted to 221.3 million pounds, down 3 percent from 1995 production of 227.9 million pounds. Value of utilized production of the above crops totaled $103.3 million, a gain of $151.5 million from the 1995 total of $87.8 million.

During 1996, among all major fruit and berry producing states in the nation, New Jersey ranked second in blueberries, second in peach production, third in cranberry production, and fourteenth in apple production. Ranking crops by value of production within the state resulted in peaches first with $33.6 million. Blueberries ranked second with $33.0 million, while cranberries ranked third with $26.8 million. Apples and strawberries ranked fourth and fifth with $8.8 million and $1.1 million, respectively.

Apple production for New Jersey totaled 60.0 million pounds in 1996. Utilized production at 58.0 million pounds accounted for 97 percent of total production. This was a decrease of 19 percent from last year's utilized production of 72.0 million pounds. In 1996, Gloucester county was the leading producer, accounting for 50 percent of the State's total production. Atlantic and Warren counties tied for second with production at 4.0 million pounds and Camden county ranked third at 3.5 million pounds.

Total peach production for 1996 totaled 78.0 million pounds. Production not utilized was estimated at 1.0 million pounds, which was 1 percent of the total production. The 1996 value of New Jersey peach production totaled $33.6 million, up 29 percent from 1995. Gloucester county was the leading peach growing county in the state with production of 33.0 million pounds or 42 percent of the total State's production. Cumberland and Camden counties ranked second and third with production of 17.5 and 11.0 million pounds, respectively.

The 1996 blueberry production was estimated at 35.0 million pounds down 1.0 million pounds from 1995. Value of utilized production was $33.0 million compared to 1995's value of $26.5 million. Atlantic and Burlington counties are the leading blueberry producing areas. The season average price of 97.1 cents per pound was up 28 percent from 75.7 cents per pound in 1995.

Cranberry growers in New Jersey produced 467,000 barrels in 1996, an increase of 13,000 barrels from the 1995 crop. The value of utilized production was $26.8 million, up 18 percent from $22.7 million in 1995. Burlington is the major cranberry producing area in the Garden State.

Strawberry growers harvested 16,000 cwt. of strawberries in 1996, up 1,000 cwt. from 1995. The area harvested, at 450 acres, was unchanged from the previous two years. The season average price was $68.80 per hundredweight for 1996. Value of utilized production was at $1.1 million compared with $0.9 million in 1995.