SOUTHEASTERN AGRICULTURE GREENHOUSES GROWING GREEN

This article reflects agricultural data collected in 2004 and some numbers they had projected for 2005. I believe that every person on the planet should be concerned about the agricultural difficulties facing our farmers. Family Farms are disappearing at an alarming rate.



Southeastern agriculture: citrus squeezed,
greenhouses growing green
EconSouth, published in Winter, 2004

The performance of the Southeastern agriculture sector was mixed in 2004. While domestic and foreign demand for the region's produce was healthy, production of certain crops was affected by four destructive hurricanes. Overall demand conditions should remain positive in 2005, and production in storm-affected crops should recover in the coming year.

Poultry.
The performance and outlook for the Southeast's poultry industry is encouraging. Poultry is the region's leading income-producing agricultural product, accounting for over $7 billion in cash receipts. Domestic market conditions improved markedly in 2004, and the value of the Southeast's exports increased as well. Analysts anticipate continued demand from domestic and foreign markets for poultry products in 2005.

Cotton.
In spite of losses associated with the hurricanes, yields remained high in the Southeast's $1.7 billion cotton industry. Prices declined in 2004, however. Shipments of cotton abroad continued, and analysts anticipate strong demand from China and India in 2005.

Citrus.
Hurricanes also hammered the region's citrus-producing areas, and as a result the outlook for Florida's $1.6 billion citrus industry in 2005 is uncertain. The 2004 orange crop was the smallest in 11 years, an estimated 27 percent lower than 2003 production levels. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the state's 2004 grapefruit crop will be 63 percent less than 2003's production. Unfortunately for domestic growers, citrus juice price increases may be tempered by high current inventory levels and a bumper crop in Brazil. Thus, citrus faces daunting challenges in 2005.


Greenhouse-nursery.
Greenhouse and nursery crops continued to be the fastest-growing segment of Southeastern agriculture, producing about $2.6 billion in cash receipts and accounting for approximately 18 percent of the region's farm income. The 2004 hurricanes hit key production areas in Florida with damages reportedly near $500 million. The outlook for the industry will depend on how quickly affected growers restore production levels.

COPYRIGHT 2004