WHOLESALE VALUE OF FLORICULTURE SALES UP

Columbia, S.C., April 27, 2005: SOUTH CAROLINA'S 2004 wholesale value of floriculture crops for all growers with $10,000 or more in sales is estimated at $113 million, up 3 percent compared to $110 million in 2003, according to the USDA, South Carolina Statistical Office. There were 111 growers in 2004, down from 121 in 2003. Total covered area for floriculture crop production was recorded at 7.37 million square feet, up from 7.0 million square feet in 2003. Total greenhouse space covered area at 4.81 million square feet was up from 2003's 4.58 million square feet.

Growers with $100,000 plus in total sales posted a wholesale value of plant production during 2004 of $104.9 million, up from $103.0 in 2003. The wholesale value of bedding and garden plants, the largest part of production, totaled $88.5 million, up from $86.5 in 2003.

The UNITED STATES’ 2004 wholesale value of floriculture crops is up 2 percent from the revised 2003 valuation. The total crop value at wholesale for all growers with $10,000 or more in sales is estimated at $5.18 billion for 2004, compared with $5.08 billion for 2003. California is again the leading State with crops valued at $1.02 billion, up less than 1 percent from the previous year. Florida, the next largest producer, is down 1 percent from 2003 with $826 million in wholesale value. These two States account for 36 percent of the total value. The top 5 States are California, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and New York which account for $2.71 billion, 52 percent of the total value.

The number of growers for 2004, at 11,099, is down 7 percent compared with the revised 2003 count of 11,996. The number of growers with sales of $100,000 or more dropped to 4,579 for 2004 from 4,732 in 2003. The number of growers in all size-groups experienced decreases from the previous year.

Total covered area for floriculture crop production is recorded at 926 million square feet, 1 percent less than the revised 2003 estimate. Greenhouse space for 2004, at 542 million square feet, is down 1 percent from 2003.

The total wholesale value of floriculture crops grown by operations exceeding the $100,000 sales level is $4.89 billion for 2004, up 2 percent from the revised 2003 total. These operations account for 94 percent of the total value of floriculture crops, but comprise only 41 percent of all growers. Bedding and garden plants wholesale value, at $2.53 billion, is the largest contributor to the value of production, up 4 percent from the previous year.

NOTE: The entire report can be found on the Internet at:

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/other/zfc-bb/

For additional information call:

Robert A. Graham, Director

Elizabeth Reeh, Agricultural Statistician

Office Telephone: (803) 765-5333