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Florida Farm Commodities Vegetables, Melons and Berries |
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Boosted by record prices for snap beans, Bell peppers, squash and strawberries; Florida vegetable farmers continued their slow recovery from mid-90s disaster prices with sales of more than $1.680 billion in 1997-98.
It was a modest increase in overall sales of $72.8 million (4.5 percent) over 1996-97, and was the third straight seasonal increase since prices bottomed out in 1994 with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Price increases, ranging from 47 percent for squash to 20 percent for snap beans, more than offset declines or meager gains in the 11 other major commodities.
Bell pepper sales reached a record $272 million in 1997-98 after prices jumped 38 percent to a record $13.63 for a 28-pound bushel, surpassing the previous record of $12.09 in 1990-91. The $53 million increase in value (24 percent) topped the previous sales record of $219 million set the previous season. Pepper value has increased $87 million in the last three seasons, a jump of 47 percent.
Snap bean yields per acre, production, price and value all reached record highs in 1997-98. The value more than doubled to $127 million, an increase of 108 percent over the previous season sales of $61 million, and topped the old record of $79 million in 1995-96. The price increase of $2.95 a bushel brought bean farmers a record $17.66 for a 30-pound bushel, a gain of 20 percent over the $14.71 previous season. Boosted by an 11 percent increase in harvested acreage and a record yield of 215 bushel per acre, production rose 73 percent, from 4.1 million bushels in 1996-97 to 7.2 million bushels in 1997-98. The previous production record had been 5.6 million bushels in 1991-92.
Coupled with a 15 percent boost in harvested acreage and the record price, squash value rose to $54 million in 1997-98, an increase of 50 percent over the $36 million in sales the previous season. Prices increased by $5.44 for a 42-pound bushel, from $11.66 to $17.10, an increase of 47 percent. Both prices and value surpassed previous records of $13.54 a bushel in 1995-96 and the $50 million value in 1990-91.
Strawberry prices and value both broke records for the second straight year, reaching a price of $12 for a 12-pound flat, an increase of 21 percent over the $9.91 the previous season, and sales of $161 million, a 10 percent increase over the previous season sales of $146 million. Strawberry sales have jumped $87 million in the last 10 seasons, an increase of 118 percent.
The value of sales for tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, radishes, eggplant, escarole, and blueberries all had modest gains in 1997-98; while sweet corn, cucumbers, cabbage and carrots all showed a slight decline.
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Vegetable Production and Value --- 1997-98 Crop Year
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Crop
|
Harvested Acres
|
Production (pounds)
|
Crop Value
|
Tomatoes
Bell Peppers
Strawberries
Potatoes
Beans (Snap)
|
40,400
18,800
6,200
42,500
33,700
|
1,380,100,000
559,600,000
161,200,000
875,200,000
217,000,000
|
$473,307,000
$272,436,000
$161,200,000
$128,329,000
$127,780,000
|
Corn (Sweet)
Watermelon
Cucumbers
Squash
Cabbage
|
41,300
32,000
9,600
12,500
7,500
|
597,500,000
720,000,000
280,400,000
133,900,000
202,400,000
|
$106,825,000
$60,120,000
$56,029,000
$54,515,000
$26,270,000
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Radishes
Eggplant
Escarole
Carrots
Blueberries
|
11,200
2,200
1,750
5,600
1,200
|
50,200,000
56,100,000
35,700,000
70,000,000
2,000,000
|
$18,816,000
$15,842,000
$11,841,000
$11,340,000
$6,240,000
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Others |
48,000
|
768,000,000
|
$149,760,000
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Total |
314,450
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6,109,300,000
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$1,680,650,000
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Vegetables Year-by-Year
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Crop Year
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Harvested Acres
|
Production (pounds)
|
Crop Value
|
1997-98
1996-97
1995-96
1994-95
1993-94
|
314,450
332,600
351,100
358,100
373,529
|
6,109,300,000
6,676,700,000
6,616,500,000
6,732,000,000
7,295,900,000
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$1,680,650,000
$1,607,758,000
$1,506,721,000
$1,511,713,000
$1,581,948,000
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1992-93
1991-92
1990-91
1989-90
1988-89
|
379,655
379,655
356,910
367,380
404,650
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6,829,500,000
7,443,705,000
6,278,700,000 6,579,400,000
6,646,100,000
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$1,775,502,000
$1,785,509,000
$1,653,912,000
$1,331,535,000
$1,591,111,000
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1979-80
1969-70
1959-60
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397,100
265,100
279,550
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5,575,400,000
2,923,700,000
2,996,300,000
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$788,890,000
$199,639,000
$134,408,000
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Source: Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
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Carrots 
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Crop Year
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Harvested Acres
|
Yield (cwt)
|
Production (cwt)
|
Value (cwt)
|
Crop Value
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1997-98
1996-97
1995-96
1994-95
1993-94
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5,600
7,600
5,600
5,800
7,700
|
125
160
150
140
115
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700,000
1,216,000
840,000
812,000
886,000
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$ 16.20
$13.60
$14.90
$20.90
$12.70
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$11,340,000
$16,538,000
$12,516,000
$16,971,000
$11,252,000
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1992-93
1991-92
1990-91
1989-90
1988-89
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7,800
9,000
9,000
7,200
9,400
|
170
145
115
150
100
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1,325,000
1,305,000
1,035,000
1,080,000
940,000
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$16.90
$15.50
$21.80
$16.30
$16.00
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$22,409,000
$20,228,000
$22,563,000
$17,604,000
$15,040,000
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CWT=100 pounds
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Eggplant Production and Value 
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Crop Year
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Harvested Acres
|
Yield (bushel)
|
Production (bushel)
|
Value (bushel)
|
Crop Value
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1997-98
1996-97
1995-96
1994-95
1993-94
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2,200
2,400
2,400
2,300
2,400
|
773
707
639
652
834
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1,700,000
1,696,000
1,533,000
1,500,000
2,001,000
|
$9.32
$8.63
$9.02
$9.00
$9.35
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$15,842,000
$14,629,000
$13,828,000
$13,500,000
$18,717,000
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1992-93
1991-92
1990-91
1989-90
1988-89
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2,000
2,440
1,950
1,950
2,000
|
737
853
806
815
810
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1,474,000
2,174,000
1,571,000
1,589,000
1,619,000
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$7.57
$7.91
$8.26
$8.52
$7.05
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$11,164,000
$17,186,000
$12,974,000
$13,537,000
$11,413,000
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Bushel = 33 pounds
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Escarole Production and Value
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Crop Year
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Harvested Acres
|
Yield (crate)
|
Production (crate)
|
Value (crate)
|
Crop Value
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1997-98
1996-97
1995-96
1994-95
1993-94
1992-93
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1,750
1,600
2,300
1,600
2,600
2,500
|
816
728
597
694
437
468
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1,428,000
1,164,000
1,373,000
1,111,000
1,136,000
1,169,000
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$8.29
$5.97
$4.70
$10.10
$5.20
$6.73
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$11,841,000
$6,946,000
$6,449,000
$11,223,000
$5,991,000
$7,872,000
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Crate = 25 pounds
Source: Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
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Radishes 
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Crop Year
|
Harvested Acres
|
Yield (crate)
|
Production (crate)
|
Value (crate)
|
Crop Value
|
1997-98
1996-97
1995-96
1994-95
1993-94
|
11,200
11,300
12,400
15,700
17,400
|
299
340
390
256
273
|
3,348,000
3,842,000
4,836,000
4,019,000
4,750,000
|
$5.62
$4.95
$4.14
$5.94
$4.45
|
$18,816,000
$19,018,000
$20,021,000
$23,873,000
$25,888,000
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Crate = 15 pounds
Source: Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
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Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Dates
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Crop
|
Planting Dates
|
Usual Harvesting Dates
|
|
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Begin
|
Most Active
|
End
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Beans
Snap
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August 15 - April 1 |
October 15 |
November 1 - May 1 |
June 15 |
Cabbage |
September 1 - March 15 |
October 25 |
January 1 - April 15 |
June 15 |
Carrots |
August 15 - February 15 |
November 1 |
December 15 - May 25 |
June 10 |
Cantaloupes |
January 15 - March 15 |
March 10 |
May 15 - June 20 |
July 10 |
Cauliflower |
September 15 - January 1 |
December 15 |
January 1 - March 15 |
April 15 |
Celery |
August 1 - April 15 |
October 25 |
December 15 - June 1 |
July 10 |
Chinese Cabbage |
September 1 - April 1 |
October 20 |
November 15 - May 15 |
June 1 |
Sweet Corn |
July 25 - May 10 |
September 25 |
November 15 - June 15 |
July 15 |
Cucumbers |
August 1 - April 1 |
September 20 |
November 1- December 15
April 20 - June 1
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July 1 |
Eggplant |
July 15 - April 1 |
October 1 |
November 15 - May 25 |
August 1 |
Escarole / Endive |
August 25 - April 1 |
October 20 |
November 15 - May 25 |
June 1 |
Lettuce, Romaine |
August 25 - April 1 |
October 20 |
December 1 - May 1 |
June 1 |
Parsley |
August 25 - April 1 |
October 20 |
November 15 - May 25 |
June 1 |
Green Peppers |
August 1 - March 15 |
October 20 |
November 15 - June 15 |
July 1 |
Potatoes |
September 15 - March 1 |
December 26 |
February 1 - June 1 |
July 1 |
Radishes |
September 1 - May 15 |
September 20 |
November 15 - May 1 |
June 15 |
Spinach |
November 1 - January 1 |
January 15 |
February 1 - March 1 |
March 15 |
Squash |
August 15 - April 1 |
September 1 |
November 15 - May 15 |
July 1 |
Strawberries |
October 1 - November 15 |
December 15 |
February 1 - April 1 |
May 15 |
Tomatoes |
August 1 - March 15 |
October 15 |
November 15 - June 1 |
July 1 |
Watermelons |
December 15 - April 1 |
April 1 |
May 1 - July 1 |
July 15 |
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Florida State Vegetable Markets
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Markets
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Address
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Manager/Telephone
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Arcadia Farmers Market |
P.O. Box 1418
Arcadia, Florida 33821 |
Diana Durrance
(863) 773-9850 |
Bonifay Farmers Market |
P.O. Box 716, Highway 90
Bonifay, Florida 32425 |
Jim Warner
(850) 547-2540 |
Florida City Farmers Market |
300 North Krome Avenue
Florida City, Florida 33034 |
Paul Caldwell
(305) 246-6334 |
Fort Myers Farmers Market |
2744 Edison Avenue
Fort Myers, Florida 33916 |
Clad Brockett
(941) 332-6910 |
Fort Pierce Farmers Market |
3479 South Federal Highway
Fort Pierce, Florida 34982 |
Pete Serra
(561) 468-3917 |
Gadsden Farmers Market |
18212 Blue Star Highway
Quincy, Florida 32351 |
Jim Warner
(850) 627-6484 |
Immokalee Farmers Market |
424 New Market Road
Immokalee, Florida 34142 |
Jerry Hubbart
(941) 658-3505 |
Palatka Farmers Market |
225 Highway 17 South
East Palatka, Florida 32131 |
Terry Driggers
(904) 329-3713 |
Plant City Farmers Market |
1305 W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Suite #5
Plant City, Florida 33566 |
Melton Godwin
(813) 757-9027 |
Pompano Farmers Market |
1255 West Atlantic Blvd.
Pompano Beach, Florida 33069 |
Alfonso Castro
(954) 786-4828 |
Sanford Farmers Market |
1300-1A South French Avenue
Sanford, Florida 32771 |
Peter Hirst
(407) 330-6783 |
Starke Farmers Market |
2222 North Temple Highway
Starke, Florida 32091 |
Terry Driggers
(904) 329-3713 |
Suwannee Valley Farmers Market |
2758 County Road 136
White Springs, Florida 32096 |
Terry Driggers
(904) 963-5903 |
Trenton Farmers Market |
830 NE State Road 47
Trenton, Florida 32693 |
Terry Driggers
(904) 963-5903 |
Wauchula Farmers Market |
661 South 6th Avenue
Wauchula, Florida 33873 |
Diana Durrance
(863) 773-9850 |
Visit the Florida State Farmers' Markets web site
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