The Week in Florida Agriculture
November 2-8, 2009
Drier weather during the week allowed the peanut harvest to resume. Peanut harvesting is 88 percent complete, compared to 93 percent this time last year and a five-year average of 95 percent. Cabbage and herbs are being planting. Soybean harvest is complete in most areas. Soybean and peanut yields in late-harvested fields are below normal across the Panhandle. Very little of the cotton crop has been harvested at this time. Hot weather in October reduced vegetable crop yields in the southern Peninsula. Sugarcane harvest remained active. Weather Summary: Seasonal temperatures and little rainfall during the week. Forestry: Landowners are preparing for winter tree planting and prescribed burning. Seafood: Weather limited harvesting during the week reducing available supply. Vegetables: Harvesting of vegetables continues but volume remains light. Light volumes of cucumbers, cantaloupes, eggplant, lettuce, peppers, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons and specialty items are moving through the market. Avocados, okra, and some greens are moving through the market, but are in seasonal decline. Livestock and Pastures: In the Panhandle and northern areas, pasture condition is poor to excellent with most fair to good. Cool weather has slowed grass growth. Some cattle are need supplementation as summer pastures decline. Land preparation and planting of cool-season grains and forages continues. Cattle condition is poor to excellent with most good. In the central areas, pasture condition is very poor to excellent with most fair to good. Drought has caused some pastures to be in poor condition, while most locations report pasture condition as fair to good. Cattle condition is poor to excellent. In the Southwest, pasture condition is poor to excellent with most good. Pasture condition has declined due to drought. Statewide, cattle condition is poor to excellent with most good. Citrus: Temperatures for the week were mostly in the mid- to upper-80s, with lows in the 50s for most of the citrus region. The trace amounts of rainfall received across the citrus-growing region did little to relieve the mild drought conditions being experienced in the northern and Indian River districts. Grove activity includes limited harvesting, herbiciding, irrigation and mowing. Scouting for greening and removal of affected trees continues. Thirty-nine packinghouses are open and shipping fruit, with only a few left to open. Varieties being packed include early oranges (Navels, Ambersweet, and Hamlin), white and colored grapefruit, and early tangerines (Fallglo and Sunburst). Seven processors are open and accepting fruit.
