USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service has released the 2009 Floriculture Crops Summary. The 2009 wholesale value of floriculture crops was down 7% from the revised 2008 valuation. The total crop value at wholesale for the 15 state program for all growers with $10,000 or more in sales was estimated at $3.8 billion for 2009, compared with $4.1 billion for 2008.
California continues to be the leading state with crops valued at $935 million, but was down 12% from the 2008 value. Florida, the next largest producer, at $696 million was down 9% from the prior year to in wholesale value. These 2 states account for 43% of the 15-state total value. The top 5 states are California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas, which account for $2.5 billion, or 66% of the 15 state total value.
The number of producers for 2009, at 6,457, was down 13% in the 15 states compared with the revised 2008 count of 7,362. The number of producers with sales of $100,000 or more dropped 3% to 2,919 for 2009 from 3,019 in 2008.
Producers with sales of $100,000 or more reported a mixed-bag of results with particular crops:
- The wholesale value of bedding and garden plants, at $1.81 billion, is down 2 percent from the previous year.
- Potted bedding and garden plants, both annuals and perennials, are valued at $1.10 billion for 2009, down 4 percent from 2008.
- Potted herbaceous perennials, valued at $492 million for 2009, is down 10 percent from 2008.
- The value of annual bedding and garden flats is up 2 percent from a year earlier to $501 million.
- Flowering hanging baskets account for $209 million in wholesale value, up 7 percent from 2008.
- Potted flowering plants for indoor or patio uses are valued at $632 million, down 5 percent from 2008.
- The value of 2009 foliage plant production, at $401 million, is down 12 percent from the previous year at the 15-State level.
To read the full report, click here.
