Cash crop
Imperial Valley agriculture industry sees growth in 2017
EL CENTRO — The agriculture industry in Imperial Valley remained robust in 2017, with potential for growth this year, according to the 2017 Imperial County Agricultural Crop and Livestock Report released Tuesday by the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office.
“The report reflects overall growth as a result of our survey,” Carlos Ortiz, Imperial County agricultural commissioner, told Imperial Valley Press via email Wednesday. “Market prices are steady, and interest in expanding crop acreage [such as] organic acreage and growing industrial hemp seem like promising ventures.”
The report — released in accordance with requirements of Section 2279 of the California Food and Agricultural Code — summarizes the estimated acreage, yield and gross production value of Imperial County’s agricultural production for the 2017 calendar year.
The values presented do not reflect the cost of production, marketing, storage or transportation, according to a press release issued by Imperial County, and no attempt was made to report information on net income, profit or loss to producers.
In 2017, agriculture production contributed $2.065 billion directly to the Imperial Valley economy, a 0.12 percent increase over 2016, according to the report.
The growth can be attributed to an increase in the price of some winter vegetables, according to Ortiz.
When indirect economic output is considered as well, the agriculture industry contributes about $4.5 billion to the economy, Brea Mohamed, Imperial County Farm Bureau executive director, said last week.
Additionally, the agricultural industry provides more than 24,000 direct and indirect jobs, Mohamed said.
In 2016, Imperial County ranked ninth out of 58 counties in gross production value in California, Ortiz said, noting that 2017 data is not yet complete for the state. Cattle is king With well over 300,000 head, cattle again topped the list for production agriculture in Imperial County, according to the press release.
“Cattle has been the No. 1 commodity for over 60 years,” Ortiz said.
Rounding out the top 10 most produced crops are leaf lettuce, alfalfa, head lettuce, broccoli, spinach, onion, alfalfa seed, carrots and sugar beets. Imperial County remains the only producer of sugar beets in California, according to the press release.
Lettuce prices saw gains in 2017, according to the press release. For example, there was a 7.9 percent increase in leaf lettuce acreage, resulting in a 31.47 percent increase in market price. And head lettuce, which saw a 5.08 percent decrease in harvested acres, experienced a 10.54 percent increase in market price due to an increase in demand and short supply “due to a rise in temperature, affecting yields and creating a gap in the supply chain,” Ortiz explained.
It is not yet known if the decrease in demand for romaine lettuce after an E. coli outbreak tied to lettuce grown in Yuma in March will have an effect on the 2018 report, Ortiz said.
“Reports show a decline in demand, particularly for romaine lettuce, after the CDC issued an advisory regarding the E. coli breakouts,” he said. “There was a flood in the market of the commodity, which lowered the prices. I can only assume when it is directed to stop eating any commodity on a national [level], the effects will trickle back to our farm economy in some fashion.”
Fortunately, “our harvest season had ended shortly prior to that E.coli [outbreak],” Ortiz said.
More fruit and nut crops grown in 2017
There was an overall 8.11 percent increase in harvested acres of fruit and nut crops last year over 2016, and a 6.35 percent increase in gross value, according to the press release.
There also was a rise in acreage of date trees harvested, but a 13 percent decrease in market prices that may be a result of a competitive global market, particularly in the Middle East, Ortiz said.
Organic commodities, which have experienced steady growth in acreage since 2013, saw a significant increase in acreage planted in 2017, with 55 growers farming 45,216 acres vs. only 33,505 acres in 2016.
“We have seen a trend in organic farming,” Ortiz said. “Anything from lemons, dates, lettuce, onions and alfalfa are being grown as organic.”
In coming years, farmers may consider planting new types of crops as demand warrants, Ortiz said.
“Our climate lends to a pretty steady and successful crop rotation,” he said. “However, there are opportunities on the horizon such as growing industrial hemp when the registration process is finalized at the state level.”
There is “a strong interest in industrial hemp as a rotation crop or permanent crop opportunity,” Ortiz said.
A copy of the 2017 Crop and Livestock Report, along with reports from previous years, may be viewed online at http://www.co.imperial. ca.us/ag.
Hard copies of the report will be available in the near future at the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, 852 Broadway St., El Centro.