Spinach harvest is complete in Texas, and the news is good, according to Texas Cooperative Extension experts.
Jose Peña, Extension economist in Uvalde, said the 2004-2005 growing season was a success.

"Yields were up, especially for varieties produced for the processed market (canning and freezing), and total production was about the same as a year ago," he said. "Quality from harvested fields was excellent. Some fields with varieties for the processed market were cut as many as three different times with close to record yields reported."

Texas producers harvested and shipped their first crop of baby spinach this year, Peña said, and buyers said the quality was excellent.

While the end result was positive, Peña said the season was a trying one for producers. Plantings for the fresh market were down slightly from last year. Some fields were lost to excessive rain in November and February.

Marcel Valdez, Extension agent in Zavala County, said excess rain caused production to be down 26 percent in that county and yield to be low.

The season in Zavala County ran from Dec. 2, 2004 to April 2.

Dr. Frank Dainello, Extension horticulturalist in College Station, said the inclement weather lengthened the harvest time.

"The season is extending a little longer this year, due to cool conditions and the attempt to make up for lost yield during the normal harvest period," he said.

Planting began in late September and was staggered through the end of February, Peña said. Harvest began in the middle of October and has continued through early April.

"Whereas in the past, spinach for the fresh market was harvested by hand and spinach for the processed market was harvested by machines, now almost all spinach is fields cut and harvested by machines," he said. "The spinach is then washed, hydro-cooled, and prepared for either the fresh or processed market."

In the March 23, 2005 edition of AG-ECO NEWS, Peña is quoted as saying: "Demand is growing for fresh vegetables, especially for attractive, high quality greens with good taste and high nutritional value."

Spinach production is very important to the Texas economy, Peña said. Nearly 30 percent of the country's processed spinach is produced in Texas. This added $41.5 million to the economy of Southwest Texas in 2004.