CTGA Tomato Bulletin - March 28, 2002

March 28, 2002

Dear Grower:

Bargaining
The California Tomato Growers Association is engaged in serious discussions with several processors for the 2002 price and terms of trade. Progress is slow in the face of the extreme competitive nature of agriculture right now. Your Association is working diligently to achieve a fair and reasonable price, and we need your help. Please ask your neighbors to support the CTGA’s position during these sensitive negotiations. We will keep you informed as the discussions progress.

Freeze Damage Limited
Processing tomato growers suffered frost damage on the morning of March 8 mainly in the Woodland, Esparto and Colusa areas of northern California. Total damage is estimated at between 500 and 1,000 acres with a number of growers affected. Luckily, no one grower took a real beating with individual losses in the 50 to 100 acre range. All fields had been direct seeded and most were able to find transplants and preserve their timing for harvest.

Unfortunately, crop insurance available to growers in 2002 was not adequate to cover the losses. In 2001 the Federal Crop Insurance Program provided coverage of 3 tons @ $53.00 for a total of $159. A private Company offered an add-on for Stage I losses of $125 for total coverage of up to $284 per acre. In 2002 an add-on policy was not offered and growers were left with only the Federal program. CTGA will be actively involved in improving the Federal program to provide coverage of Stage I losses up to 5 tons.

Curly Top Virus
Last year curly top caused wide-spread damage in tomato crops over a broad area on the west side of the Valley. Fresno county was hit the hardest, but Kern, Stanislaus and Monterey counties were also affected. Many fields experienced six to eight percent losses. In a few cases in Fresno county, yields were as low as 14 tons, rather than the typical 40 tons per acre. The worst damage occurred in processing tomatoes, but some fresh market tomatoes were also damaged.

“A large population of leafhoppers, which over winter in the foothills caused the problem,” says Bob Peterson, an entomologist with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). A buildup of weeds and an abnormally dry, warm winter led to a high number of insects. There are at least three strains of curly top virus, each distinguished by the plants it prefers.

In the long term, the curly top virus DNA could be useful in an early warning system to predict where outbreaks might occur. “By identifying virus-carrying leafhoppers, growers could alter planting schemes and/or spray programs to target potential hot spots,” says Gilbertson.

Cultural practices also may have played a part in last year’s virus. In recent years growers of processing tomatoes have switched from direct seeding of their fields to transplant seedlings. The use of transplants could have attracted the insect.

Transplanted fields do not have the same plant density as when growers direct seed. Fields with transplants have fewer plants more closely resembling green and brown patches of desert terrain. This year, Jesus Valencia, UCCE Fresno County farm advisor, is studying the impact of different planting practices including direct seeding, single transplants and transplant plugs with multiple plants.

“The insect does not like a lot of plants close together. It likes weak, isolated plants and transplants are generally set 14 to 16 inches apart,” says Valencia.

For spring 2002, dry conditions in the hills along the west side of the San Joaquin Valley are ideal for over-wintering and reproduction of BLH’s. The moderate, dry winter encouraged the emergence of the spring generation of BLH nymphs nearly a month earlier than usual and surveys show that the populations are bigger and more dispersed than last year. The latest rains may revive some of the host plants in the hills, which could lead to a second generation of BLH’s.

In response, the Curly Top Virus Control Board has begun spraying operations a month earlier this year and authorized funding for treatment of up to 100,000 acres of leafhopper rangeland habitat, up from 40,000 acres. Growers are also encouraged to treat weeds and fallow fields before plowing to avoid scattering insects that spread curly top virus.

Growers that wish to send plant samples to CDFA for disease diagnosis at “no charge” should contact: The Curly Top Virus Control Program, 2895 N. Larkin Ave., Suite A, Fresno, CA 93711. Phone: (559) 445-5472 Fax: (559) 445-5334

California Agricultural Statistics Service
California Processing Tomatoes

Processing Crop	Area Harvested		Average Yield		Production		Price Per Ton 1/				Total Value
							First Delivery Point		Processing Plant Door
	2000	2001	2000	2001	2000	2001	2000	2001	2000	2001	2000	2001
	Acres		Tons				Dollars				1,000 Dollars
Tomatoes	271,000	254,000	37.96	34.02	10,286,500	8,640,140	50.75	49.40	58.60	57.50	602,789	496,808
1/ The processing crops price is based on equivalent returns at the processing plant door.

US Processed Tomato Stocks-On-Hand Report
Inventories of US processed tomato products were 6.08 million tons, stated on a raw product equivalent basis, as of March 1, 2002 according to a report released today by the California League of Food Processors. Inventory is 12% below prior year levels. Apparent disappearance of tomato stock decreased 11% to 7.7 million tons during the nine-month period of June 1, 2001 to March 1, 2002.

The California tomato paste-for-sale inventory on March 1, 2002 was 1.6 million tons, raw product equivalent basis.
Total tomato paste stocks, including inventory held for remanufacture was estimated to total 3.9 million tons (raw product equivalent).

CLFP statistics reports are estimates of the total US processed tomato supply, based on voluntary reports from processors throughout the United States. Participating processors handle over 93% of total US tonnage of processing tomatoes.

U.S. Processed Tomato Supply and Movement

March	2000-2001	2001-2002	Percentage Increase/Decrease
Beginning Inventory (June 1)	4,742,842	4,569,959	-3.6%
Pack	10,858,240	9,248,260	-14.8%
Total Supply	15,601,082	13,818,219	-11.4%
March 1 Inventory	6,916,444	6,085,048	-12.0%
9 Month Disappearance	8,684,638	7,733,171	-11.0%
Monthly Disappearance	964,959	859,241	-11.0%

Listed below are the 2001 Tomato “Paste for Sale” pack and inventory as of March 1, 2002 for California Tomato Processors.

Tomato "Paste for Sale" in Drums, Bins & Bulk

	2000-2001	2001-2002
Paste for Sale Pack	5,077,093	3,866,566
Inventory as of December 1 Inventory as of March 1	3,771,544 2,251,240	2,736,260 1,657,226
Total Paste Pack and Inventory

Total Tomato Paste Pack (including "paste for sale" and paste held for companies' own remanufacture operations)		6,346,377
Total Tomato Paste Stocks as of March 1		3,904,674

Paste for Sale - Paste, converted to a raw product “paid for tons” equivalent, being held in drums, bins, and bulk, that has been
packed to be sold. Does not include paste being held for companies’ own remanufacture.

2001 GUESSTIMATORS OF THE YEAR!

Congratulations goes to 2001 Guesstimator Contest winners as follows:

Industry Winner:

Randy Rickert

Unilver Best Foods

8,588,000 tons

Grower Winner:

Gary Merwin

D & G Merwin, Inc.

8,652,777 tons

The state’s actual tonnage for 2001 was 8,597,073. Growers and allied businesses are invited to fill out the adjoining form and secure their chance for the 2002 title of GUESSTIMATOR OF THE YEAR. The Association will continue to take forms until May 25. Mail or fax your entry to the Association’s office today.

Processing Tomato Crop Size

Guesstimator Contest

Mail form by May 28, 2003 to:
California Tomato Growers Association, Inc.
10730 Siskiyou Lane, Stockton, CA 95207
or fax to: (209) 478-9460

Check One: r Grower r Allied Industry Personnel

Name:

Firm:

Address:

Phone:

My estimate of the 2003 California processing tomato
crop size is tons.

9th Annual Sporting Clays Tournament
The Ninth Annual Sporting Clays Tournament is set for Friday, May 10, 2002 at Bird’s Landing in Rio Vista. The cost for this 100-target event is $65 per shooter and includes a barbecue lunch and awards. A scramble format will be used to determine the winners. The biggest value of the tournament is the participation and interaction of individuals involved in the processing tomato industry. As in the past, the clays tournament is guaranteed to be an enjoyable day in the field. Make plans to attend! For more information please call the CTGA office at (209) 478-1761.

John C. Welty
Executive Vice President

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