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Texas cabbage crop
College Station, Texas
May 3, 2005

Cabbage prices are low in Texas, but production is high, Texas Cooperative Extension experts report.

"In the Rio Grande Valley, this past season has been tough because prices as a whole have been very low," said Dr. Juan Anciso, Extension vegetable specialist in Weslaco.

Jose Pena, Extension economist in Uvalde, said production from the Lower Rio Grande and Southwest Texas overlapped in January through early March. The concentrated production dropped prices to just above break-even costs, he said, but quality and price improved substantially in April.

Although planted acreage was up only 2 percent from last season, production is up nearly 25 percent over last year and yields are up 20 percent, Pena said.

"Excellent fall and winter rain along with a moderately cool winter created excellent growing conditions."

The crop is first planted in September and harvested from December to early May in the Rio Grande Valley, Anciso said. Harvest carries into June for the Winter Garden in South Texas and the fall for the High Plains.

"Farmers normally plant 15 to 20 acres of cabbage every two weeks during the growing season in hopes of hitting a window when the market is at its peak," said Dr. Larry Stein, Extension horticulturist in Uvalde.

Texas is the third-leading state in total cabbage production behind California and New York, Pena said. The state leads the nation in fall, winter and spring production.

Between 8,300 and 8,500 acres of cabbage are planted in Texas annually, most of which is planted in the winter, he said.

"This season about 8,500 acres were planted, up 2 percent from 8,300 acres planted last season," Pena said.
Last year Texas produced 324 million pounds of cabbage, which is 13 percent of the 2.5 billion pound national crop.

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