The US is set for a bumper strawberry harvest in 2004. Production in California alone is projected at 1.9 billion lbs, which would make it the state’s largest crop ever of the summer berry.
Expansion is being fuelled by favourable weather combined with a 12 per cent increase in planted area to 31,639ha. Most of the growth is in the Oxnard, Watsonville and Santa Maria areas.
Further impetus has also come from the adoption of newer varieties to enhance the overall mix available from the state. These include proprietary types and Ventana in preference to stalwarts Selva, Diamante and Camarosa.
With an increased harvest, exports are also expected to rise on 2003, itself up on the previous season. Canada dominates the picture accounting for some 75 per cent of sendings. Mexico is a distant second on 10 per cent, with Japan taking five per cent of California’s exports, China four per cent and the UK three per cent.
Production in the south-east corner of the US is also increasing, with the state of Florida expected to show an increase of five per cent in its harvest this season despite a fall in planted area to 7,100 acres. Good growing weather is the main reason for the boost.
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