The USDA, NASS, California Field Office has released the crop production forecast for August. The latest survey, conducted during the last week of July and the first week of August, included the following commodities:
Apples – California's 2012 apple crop forecast is 140 thousand tons, unchanged from 2011. Weather so far has been excellent for California apple development. Harvest for Galas began in late July, earlier than last year's delayed August start. The Granny Smith harvest is expected to start in early August. There has been low pest and disease pressure; quality and size were looking very good.
Cotton - Upland cotton production in California is forecast at 520 thousand bales, a decrease of 6% from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated at 149 thousand acres, resulting in a yield of 1,675 pounds per acre.
While the grape crop is up for 2012, the pear crop is forecast for the 2012 Bartlett pear crop in California at 170 thousand tons, a decrease of 13% from last year.
California's American Pima cotton production forecast is 625 thousand bales, down 20% from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated at 214 thousand acres, resulting in a yield of 1,402 pounds per acre.
Grapes - Wine-type variety grape production for California is forecast at 3.70 million tons, up 9% from the 2011 crop. The table-type grape production is expected to total 1.00 million tons, down 3% from last year.