-October 8,2019-
The Tulare County Crop Report for 2018 has been released and the value is $7.21 billion – up from $7.04 billion in 2017. Tulare County will be third in line of top producing counties in the state eclipsed by number one Fresno County at $7.9 billion and Kern-$7.46 billion in 2018.Tulare County saw its milk value drop to $1.7 billion from $1.8 billion in 2017 as prices sagged.Milk remains the top crop and the county still enjoys the ranking as the biggest milk producer.
Some other major crops in the county also dropped in value in 2018 including number 2 grapes, falling from a value of $904 million in 2017 to $834 million. Table grape plantings dropped by 5380 acres and navel oranges fell by 3700 acres.
Table grape acres also fell in Kern County as did value but Fresno County’s total grape acreage in 2018 was up although raisin acres fell.Overproduction is expected to result in more table grape vineyards pulled.
Meanwhile Tulare County citrus growers harvested more tangerines in 2018 with the value rising from $343 million in 2016 to $462 million in 2017 and $511 million in 2018.
The largest acreage growth in plantings came in almonds in the county rising 6140 acres in 2018 from 67,400 in 2017 and 61,000 in 2016. Pistachio acres grew by 2270, up from 64,800 acres in 2017.
The county’s top crops were milk, grapes ,oranges, cattle and tangerines in that order