Roundabout Likely At Hwy 41 & Main In Morro Bay
City Public Works Director Rob Livick says CalTrans is suggesting a roundabout,traffic circle, at the confluence of Highway 41 and Main Street in Morro Bay as the best way to move traffic at the busy intersection in the future. The city and CalTrans are working together on the idea that might be a recipient project under the funding plan for the countywide half-cent sales tax measure on the November ballot. The roundabout would still allow room for construction of a new Sonic Drive-In where the USA gas station is today.
Strawberry Acreage Down – Berry Production Takes Hit
California strawberry acreage is down from 2015 by 12% and down 25% in the Santa Maria growing area. Acreage dropped from 8,305 in 2015 to 7,100 acres in the Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo district in 2016.
According the the California Strawberry Commission “While consumer demand remains strong, rising production costs and regulatory restraints are eroding returns to growers, resulting in adjusted acres planted for 2016 production.”
Through the first week of May the Santa Maria district has produced 17.4 million flats vs 21.6 million flats for the same period a year ago according to the National Berry report. Statewide the drop-off is even more dramatic from 71.9 million flats to 53.6 million flats so far this year, a 26 percent drop.
Some farms have gone out of business due to financial problems and the drought. Others point to loss of soil pest chemicals in the state including fumigants such as chloropicrin and Telone that face regulatory scrutiny. Methyl bromide, is being phased out completely this year.
The commission points to development of new strawberry varieties and increased productivity on the farm as cause for hope. They also note that Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has launched the California Strawberry Sustainability Research and Education Center.
“For 2016, California continues as the leading production region in the world and is expected to supply over 79% of the volume consumed in the U.S.”
Among other berries blueberry production in California is also down this year while imports from countries like Chile are way up. California raspberries too are down this year.
Avocado Sizes & Prices Down
The California avocado crop is small in size but big in volume while prices have declined this year. Big avocados are coming from Mexico this year. The California Avocado Commission reports that mid-size avocados ( 48s) FOBs this year have declined to $25 a box from $37 a box as of the first week of May compared to the same time last year.
This year’s California avocado crop is expected to be around 30% larger than the year before. Mexico too has a large crop expected to be a record.