CDFA RELEASES NOVEMBER CROP FORECAST

SACRAMENTO - The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Agricultural Statistics Service has released the crop production forecast for November 2003.  The latest survey includes the following commodities:

Corn – Corn for grain production is expected to total 618,800 tons, down 13 percent from last year.  Harvested acreage, at 130,000, is also 13 percent below last year. The yield forecast, at 4.76 tons per acre, is unchanged from the previous year. Hot, humid weather over the summer months promoted robust growth.  Harvesting began in some locations in mid‑September. By the beginning of November, most corn harvest was complete, but a few fields remained to be harvested.

Cotton – American Pima cotton production in California is forecast at 380,000 bales, down 37 percent from the 2002 crop. Forecast yield is 1,312 pounds per acre. Harvested acreage is estimated at 139,000 acres, 33 percent below last year. Upland cotton production in California is forecast at 1.55 million bales, a decrease of 3 percent from the October forecast, and an increase of 6 percent from the 2002 crop. With harvested acreage at 555,000 acres, the yield is forecast at 1,341 pounds per acre.

Rice – All rice production in California for 2003 is forecast at 39.1 million cwt., down 9 percent from the previous year. Forecast yield is 7,900 pounds per acre. Harvested acreage is estimated at 495,000 acres.  California rice growers have generally overcome the wet weather problems they faced early in the season.  There was concern that late plantings would have a negative affect on yields, but the hot weather that hit California during July resulted in normal levels of heat units necessary for rice. Rice harvest was nearly complete by November 1st.

Sugar Beets – California sugar beet production is forecast at 1.85 million tons, a 6 percent decrease from the 2002 crop. Harvested acreage is estimated at 50,000, and yield is forecast at 37 tons per acre. Recently planted sugar beet fields in the Imperial Valley showed good emergence. By the beginning of November, fall harvest continued at Mendota, but was winding down. Curly top showed in most of the fall crop at Mendota. Some treatments were underway to control insect pests.

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, 2003.

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