SBC has first decline in production values since 2001
San Benito County’s agriculture industry experienced an
”
unprecedented
”
11 percent decline in production during 2008, largely due to
persisting drought conditions, according to the annual crop report
released this week.
SBC has first decline in production values since 2001
San Benito County’s agriculture industry experienced an “unprecedented” 11 percent decline in production during 2008, largely due to persisting drought conditions, according to the annual crop report released this week.
The drop in overall dollar production – from $293 million to $262 million – gave the county its lowest total since 2003. It also ended a six-year streak of production increases before 2008 for San Benito County’s largest industry, according to the document.
Many of the major crops and types of livestock took a big hit. Among the top 10 commodities here, seven of them experienced declines in 2008. But the two biggest categories – nursery stock and miscellaneous vegetable and row crops – actually had slight increases in production, according to the report, required by the state and approved Tuesday by county supervisors.
The crop with the largest decline of any was wine grapes, the value of which dropped by $10.3 million. That represents a 43 percent slump from 2007 and took the commodity from being the third most valuable crop to No. 7 on the list of Top 10 in San Benito County. Wine growers attributed the drop to winter frost damage and diminishing water.
Some of the other major commodities performed as follows in 2008:
With declining prices and reduced herd sizes due to the drought, cattle production dropped from $17.4 million to $13.5 million, or 23 percent.
Also due to those dry conditions, and higher prices per unit, grain hay production values skyrocketed in 2008 and went from $913,000 to $4.5 million.
Bell peppers saw a significant drop from $22.5 million to $13 million – 42 percent – due to decreased yields and prices.
Though the quantity is relatively lower, olive production values increased from $113,000 to $148,000.
San Benito County’s Agriculture Commissioner Paul Matulich reported those and other numbers in the report to supervisors at the afternoon session of their meeting where they voted unanimously to approve the document. He stressed the numbers represent gross value, not net profit, for farmers and ranchers, and that some of them produce at a loss.
“I can attest to that,” quipped Board Chairman Anthony Botelho, an apple orchardist, in response. “I didn’t get my fair share.
Supervisor Reb Monaco also noted how the increasing cost of buying supplies and other products for crops and livestock also has contributed to hard times for many growers and ranchers.
Top 10 commodities in 2008
1. Nursery stock: $36.5M
2. Miscellaneous vegetable and row crops: $32M
3. Leaf lettuce (mixed): $18.5M
4. Salad lettuce: $16.4M
5. Spinach: $15.1M
6. Market tomatoes: $14.3M
7. Wine grapes: $13.9M
8. Romaine lettuce: $13.6M
9. Bell peppers: $13M
10. Other livestock/livestock and poultry products
