FRUIT AND VEGETABLE HIGHLIGHTS 



CRANBERRIES 



A new record production was set in the Bay State in 1980 with 1,185,000 barrels produced in 1980. This was 

 5,000 barrels greater than the previous record set in 1978 and almost 10 percent greater than the 1979 crop. 

 Producers received an average of $33.20 per barrel which places the value of production at $39 million, 37 

 percent above the 1979 crop. 



APPLES 



Apple production from commercial orchards in the Commonwealth totaled 2.4 million 42 pound units, up 5 

 percent from 1979. Value of production reached only $14.6 million, 2 percent below the 1979 crop as the 

 average price of $6.13 per unit was 38 cents below the 1979 average. The fruit quality was good although 

 hail damage occurred in some orchards. Dry weather caused an early drop and limited fruit sizing in some 

 areas . 



PEACHES 



There were 42,000, 48 pound units of peaches produced in 1980, 11 percent more than the 1979 total. 

 Although the average price received was almost a dollar less at $14.29 per unit, the value of production 

 was still 4 percent higher than 1979 and the highest for the past 10 years. 



SWEET CORN 



The Commonwealth's sweet corn production in 1980, at 634,000 hundredweight rose 9 percent above the 1979 

 crop. Acreage harvested increased 4 percent and yield per acre was 5 percent above last year. Growers 

 received an average of $9.09 per hundredweight in 1980, a 104 per unit increase over the 1979 average. 



TOMATOES 



The 1980 tomato crop totaled 168,000 hundredweight, 42 percent above 1979 and the highest production in the 



past decade. Both increased acreage and high yields attributed to the large production. The value of the 



crop at $3.6 million, was 26 percent above last year but the average per hundredweight of $21.70 was $2.90 

 below the 1979 average. 



26 



