Tulare County's 2010 crop value up 20%

Details

Published on 06/21/2011 - 2:04 pm

Written by John Lindt

Reflecting a surge in production value all over the San Joaquin Valley, Tulare County's ag commissioner announced today that 2010 farm production valuation was $4.86 billion — up 20% from 2009.

“Tulare County’s agricultural strength is based on the diversity of crops produced” said Marilyn Kinoshita, county ag commissioner, noting the county grows some 120 different commodities.

So far this year, Kern County has reported a 31% increase in crop values and Kings County a 30% jump over 2009. Tulare County remains the number two ag producing county in the state. Number one Fresno County has yet to report.

In Tulare County, milk led the way with a 31% jump in value over 2009’s depressed prices. While production was up only slightly, the price of milk jumped from $11.60 per hundredweight to $14.60 in 2010 in the nation’s number one milk producing county. Milk prices follow national commodity prices. As any dairyman will tell you — they are price takers, not price makers.

Those milk commodity prices have increased markedly in 2011 to $17 to 19 per cwt — providing hope the county crop report for 2011 will be even more impressive.

Livestock and poultry products were up 16% in 2010. Within this category, cattle remains the county’s number three crop behind milk and oranges.

In the fruit and nut category, values rose 17%. Within this sector, higher prices for grapes, nuts and citrus helped drive higher values. Tulare County remains the number one citrus growing county in the state. Navel orange prices per ton increased from $606 in 2009 to $808. The fastest growing crop appears to be tangerines with 2,700 non-bearing acres planted.

Field crops jumped 18% in valuation, led by a doubling in the cotton acreage and higher grain prices, reversing a long downward slide.

On the downside, the county’s big nursery industry took a a 11% hit in 2010 as result of the housing dip. Vegetable crops dropped 30%. Freestone peaches suffered in 2010 with a per ton price more than $100 lower than 2009.

Meanwhile, the county’s bee keepers hit the sweet spot on honey production enjoying a 47% jump even though the price per unit declined.Total honey valuation went from $20.8 million in 2009 to $27.3 million. Fears of colony collapse have been overcome.

The $4.86 billion year for Tulare was much improved, but not a record, with that belonging to 1998 — a $5 billion year.