13 

 The 1959 Census of Agriculture reported the number of farms and acreage of 

 chile by counties and States for 1954 and 1959. These data are shown in table 8 

 for Rio Arriba and Sante Fe Counties in the Espanola Valley, for Donna Anna 



CouQty iE, which a processing plant is currently operating at Las Cruces, and for 



the State of New Mexico. 



Table 8, - New Mexico chiles tJtraber of farms, acreage, and average acres per 

 farm by specified eountias aad State total, 1954 and 1959 



Area 



Rio Arribe 

 Sante F® 



Total 



(Espanola Valley) 



Donna Anaa 



New Mexico State 



1914 i 1959 



203 

 102 



305 



114 



91 



34 



L2S 



80 



506 



83 



264 



lOS 



21 



132 



501 



0.9 

 0,8 



0.9 



4.0 



1.6 



1.2 

 0.8 



1 T 



i.0 J, 



6,3 



2.4 



The market demand for chile and chile products is somewhat of an unknown 

 factor. Although chile is well accepted by the Spanish Americans in the local 

 areas of New. Mexico, the product has not been adequately market tested in inter- 

 state commerce., 



I concur with the ©pinlou of Geae Ott, Bxteasioa Spacialist at New M^cico 

 State University, that, if the proposed chile project is deemed feasible, a 

 relatively small processing plant should first be established in the Espanola 

 Valley area. The plant should be &o constructed that the facilities could be 

 expanded as markets are developed. This approach wcmld offer some protection to 

 these chile growers Mho are o.ot in a finaiacial position to risk a sudden large 

 increase in their ]^f ©duct ion based, qu a quastlotsfibl® ismrkat outlet fox fe&air 

 product. 



