-September 26,2019-
Kern County beat its 2017 crop value figure reporting $7.46 billion in 2018, just below the Fresno crop value for 2018. Tulare County has yet to report in the race to claim number one ag producer.
Lat year was a big production year for grapes in Kern County, the state’s number one producer with volume up more than 6% but a valuation that was down by 13.5%. Grape farmers had a tough time making any money in 2018 as there was just too many grapes and not enough markets. Still it was the county’s top crop.
Detector dogs being trained to sniff ACPs
Coastal citrus growers where the citrus disease HLB has been found have hired trained detector dogs from Florida to sniff out the disease early allowing the tree to be removed before the infected tree can allow the spread
UC Lindcove citrus advisor Beth Grafton Cardwell says Valley citrus farmers have not found the disease here, at least yet. But Valley growers could use a dog to detect the presence of the vector for the deadly disease- the Asian Citrus Psyllid.
“The Florida based trainer says they think they can train dogs to be able to detect the psyllid and expect they may be ready to go into Central Valley groves in six months” she says.
USDA has invested million of dollars in detector dogs and they have proven to be a credible diagnostic tool for early detection and screening of trees.Now we could detect the critter that brings this plague without the extensive trapping system.
WALNUT PRODUCTION FORECAST DOWN
USDA says the 2019 California walnut production is forecast at 630,000 tons, down 6.8 percent from 2018’s production of 676,000 tons. The forecast is based on 365,000 bearing acres, up 4.3 percent from 2018’s estimated bearing acreage of 350,000.
Survey data indicated an average nut set per tree of 983, down 16.4 percent from 2018’s average of 1,176. Percent of sound kernels in-shell was 98.9 percent statewide.
In 2018 walnut growers took a bath financially with per ton value half of what it was the year before, $1300 per ton vs $2490 in 2017.
Retaliatory tariffs targeting the US by India and China are hurting prospects for the coming crop. The Japanese market may be a bright spot. Under a new pact a 10% duty on shelled walnuts to Japan will be eliminated.
Navel Orange Forecast -Down 7%
USDA’s initial 2019-20 Navel orange forecast is 76.0 million cartons, down 7 percent from the previous year. Of the total Navel orange forecast, 73.0 million cartons are estimated to be in the Central Valley. Cara Cara variety Navel orange production in the Central Valley is forecast at 6.0 million cartons.
Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 319, b e l o w the five-year average of 366. The average September 1 diameter was 2.169 inches, below the five-year average of 2.225 inches.But fruit soiree is up formalist year when it was 2.117 inches.
The Cara Cara orange set was 268 with a diameter of 2.185 inches.
Bearing acres of navel oranges in the state are at a 20 year low at 112,000 acres – down from 2010 who we boasted 135,000 acres.