-September 22,2020-
Tulare County crop production rose in value by 4% in 2019 reaching more than $7.5 billion. Milk continues to be the county’s top crop but lost 4.3% in value in 2019 vs 2018 based on a 11% decline in production in 2019 even though milk prices were higher than 2018.
Milk prices per cwt in 2019 was $16.30 with a total value of $1.6 billion. That is a far cry from that record year of 2014 when the average milk price was nearly $23 per cwt and production of 115 billion pounds with a total value that year of $2.5 billion.
The record for milk value was $8 billion in 2014, largely based on record milk prices that year.
If milk had a down year in 2019, fruit and nut crops were higher with acreage climbing from 415,000 to over 484,000.
Almond acreage climbed to 78,300 from 67,300 and pistachio plantings were slightly higher Pomegranates that suffered a ow price per ton in 2018 rose 3 fold per ton in prices in 2019.Walnut prices we’re lower as total value dropped to $149 million from $225 mil in 2018. Also down in 2019 was the crop value for cattle and calves with a lower price per head.
In the citrus category, navel orange production was up on a per acre basis even though the value per ton was down. The total value was up to $707 mil compared to $589 mil in 2018.Tangerines were higher on higher production.
While milk was the number one crop, oranges rose to number 2 and grapes fell from 2nd to 3rd. Cattle and tangerines followed.
Grape acres were 53,680 in 2019 – down from around 57,000 acres in 2016. Total value of grapes fell from $834 mil in 2018 to $802.5 mil.
Tulare County organic acreage continued to climb in 2019 to just under 13,000 acres compared to 7600 in 2014.
As for exports, the Republic of Korea was by far the county’s largest trade partner with shipment of 7.5 million cartons of produce.