CDFA RELEASES CROP PRODUCTION FORECAST FOR NOVEMBER

SACRAMENTO, November 14, 2001-The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Agricultural Statistics Service has released the crop production forecast for November. The survey, which was conducted during the last week of October and the first week of November, includes the following commodities:

Corn- Corn for grain production is expected to total 880,600 tons, down 21% from last year. Harvested acreage, at 185,000 acres, is 21% below last year. The yield forecast is 4.76 tons per acre, unchanged from last year.

Cotton- The Upland cotton production forecast is 1.95 million bales as of November 1, up 3% from the October forecast, but down 12% from last year. This is based on 655,000 acres for harvest, with an average yield of 1,429 pounds per acre. The American Pima cotton production forecast is 560,000 bales, up 62% from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated to be 209,000, resulting in a yield of 1,286 pounds per acre.

Rice- Rice production in California for 2001 is forecast at 38.62 million cwt., down 11% from 2000. The yield forecast is 8,200 pounds per acre. Planted and harvested acreage remains at 475,000 and 471,000 acres, respectively.

Sugar Beets- The sugar beet production forecast is 1.61 million tons, down 47% from the 2000 crop. Acreage for harvest, at 43,500, is down 53%. The yield is forecast at 37.0 tons per acre, up 14% from 2000.

California’s Agricultural Statistics Service operates under a cooperative agreement between CDFA and the United States Department of Agriculture. Production forecasts are released on a monthly basis and do not reflect final production estimates. Late summer and fall harvests may change these estimates considerably. The next production forecast will be issued December 11, 2001.


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FLEX YOUR POWER. To meet California’s energy challenge, CDFA urges businesses and consumers to conserve. For a list of simple ways that you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Web site @www.cdfa.ca.gov.