Source: USDA / National Agricultural Statistics Service

• Spring Season Fresh Market Vegetables Down 1 Percent
• Processed Vegetable Contracted Acreage Virtually Unchanged
• Onion Acreage Up 1 Percent

The prospective area for harvest of 11 selected fresh market vegetables during the spring quarter is forecast at
206,900 acres, down 1 percent from last year for comparable States. Acreage decreases for snap beans, broccoli,
cauliflower, head lettuce, bell peppers, and tomatoes more than offset acreage increases for cabbage, carrots, celery, and sweet corn. Melon acreage for spring harvest is forecast at 78,200 acres, up 6 percent from last year.
Watermelon acreage is up 4 percent from 2005 while cantaloup acreage increased 10 percent from a year ago.
Honeydew melon acreage remains unchanged. Asparagus acreage for spring harvest is forecast at 45,500 acres,
down 16 percent from last year. Strawberry acreage for harvest is forecast at 45,200 acres, up 3 percent for
comparable States in 2005.

Processors expect to contract 1.22 million acres of the 5 major processed vegetable crops in the U.S. this year,
virtually unchanged from last year. Contracted acreage decreases are forecast for snap beans and sweet corn, while cucumbers for pickles, green peas, and tomatoes show increases. Freezing firms expect to contract 378,150 acres, up 3 percent from last year. Acreage for sweet corn is up 9 percent. Green pea acreage is down 3 percent, while snap bean acreage for freezing is virtually unchanged from last year. Canneries contracted for 846,580 acres, down 1 percent from 2005. Acreage increased for cucumbers for pickles, green peas, and tomatoes, up 6 percent, 9 percent, and 10 percent, respectively, while acreage decreased for snap beans and sweet corn, down 11 and 15 percent, respectively.

Total planted onion acreage for all seasons in 2006 is forecast at 171,100 acres, up 1 percent from last year. Spring onions will be harvested from 37,900 acres in 2006, up 7 percent from 2005. Georgia and Texas combined
production is forecast at 8.09 million cwt, 18 percent above last year. Summer non-storage onion planted acreage, at 20,500 acres, is virtually unchanged from a year ago. Total summer onion acreage, at 130,900 acres, is up 1 percent from the previous year.

Full report in PDF format: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/fruit/pvg-bb/2006/vege0406.pdf