A recent survey of the 1999 tomato crop shows that an April freeze and continued cool weather in California is taking its toll on the 1999 processing tomato crop. Based on a survey of actual acreage planted in the state, the California Tomato Growers Association, Inc. (CTGA) estimates that growers will produce a 10.9 million ton crop, down from the 11.5 million ton crop contracted by processors in January.

As the only statewide estimate based on actual acreage planted, the CTGA figures show that the 1999 crop will be grown on 337,000 acres, 8,000 more acres than reported contracted for in January by processors. This rather strange occurrence of having more acres planted and expecting a reduced overall pack is the direct effect of the combination of weather events that California has experienced this year.

The Easter week freeze in the San Joaquin Valley destroyed between 10,000 to 15,000 acres of tomatoes and damaged thousands more which will significantly disrupt the July and early August harvest. Secondly, the continuous cool weather has set harvest back by two to three weeks and much like the El Niño impacted crop of 1998, the 1999 crop will also face substantial compression during the middle of the season with tens of thousands of acres ripening at the same time outstripping the state’s processing capacity to handle them. Lastly, in an attempt to make up for the fields lost to the frost a significant amount of acres have been added to the back of the season with a scheduled harvest to take place in October, exposing a large portion of the crop to rain and reduced yields.

Utilizing a three-year average yield by county, the Association established a benchmark at the 11.2 million ton level. However, in light of the above conditions, this level is highly optimistic. The CTGA estimates that the 1999 processing tomato crop will drop at least 3 percent below the three year average putting this year’s crop at 10.9 million tons.

Headquartered in Stockton, the California Tomato Growers Association, Inc. is a half-century-old grower-owned and operated association dedicated to representing the interests of it’s grower-members throughout the state.

CTGA 1999 Statewide Acreage Survey

*Other - Contra Costa (2,700), Glenn (2,000), Imperial (1,000), Kern (3,600), Kings (7,700), Madera (1,200), Monterey (100), San Benito (1,100), Santa Clara (800), Tulare (200), and Ventura (100).

CTGA news release