The USDA's National Agriculture Statistics Service released a new report on floriculture production in the United .jpg){kind=logo}
States.
The report specifically looked at 15 states and their floriculture production.
The 2013 wholesale value of floriculture crops is up one percent from the 2012 valuation. The total crop value at wholesale for the 15-State program for all growers with $10,000 or more in sales is estimated at $4.40 billion for 2013, compared with $4.36 billion for 2012.
California continues to be the leading state with crops valued at $1.14 billion, up 3 percent from the 2012 value. Florida, the next largest producer, is down 1 percent from the prior year to $888 million in wholesale value. These two states account for 46 percent of the 15-state total value. For 2013, the top five states are California, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and North Carolina, which account for $2.96 billion, or 67 percent, of the 15-state total value.
The report also detailed:
- Number of Producers: The number of producers for 2013, at 6,042, is down 2 percent in the 15 states; compared with the 2012 count of 6,185.
- Area Used for Production: In the 15-State program, total covered area for floriculture crop production was 701 million square feet, down 4 percent from the 2012 area of 730 million square feet.
- Peak Hired Workers: The average peak number of hired workers employed on operations in the 15-State program in 2013 is 19. A total of 4,525 operations hired workers during 2013. Overall, 75 percent of operations used some hired labor during 2013, unchanged from 2012.
The report further broke down plant production:
Bedding/Garden Plants: The wholesale value of all bedding and garden plants, which include herbaceous perennials, at $1.96 billion, is up slightly from the previous year. This plant category is the largest contributor to total value of sales and represents 46 percent of the wholesale value of all the reported crops. California, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio, the top 5 States in this category, account for 56 percent of the 15-State total bedding and garden value.
Annual Bedding and Garden Plants: The wholesale value sales for annual bedding and garden plants totaled $1.36 billion in 2013, down 2 percent from 2012. This value represents 69 percent of the total bedding and garden category. The number of growers producing annual bedding and garden plants totaled 1,509, down 6 percent from 2012.
Potted Herbaceous Perennials: Total wholesale value of potted herbaceous perennials totaled $602 million in 2013, up 5 percent from 2012. These crops account for 31 percent of the total bedding and garden category. The number of growers producing herbaceous potted perennial plants totaled 1,201, down 6 percent from 2012.
Potted Flowering Plants: Potted flowering plants for indoor or patio uses are valued at $778 million, up 6 percent from 2012. California accounts for 38 percent of the 15-State value in this category, and Florida accounts for 22 percent. The value of Potted Poinsettias totaled $146 million, up 1 percent from the previous year. The value of Potted African Violets totaled $3.86 million, down 7 percent from previous year. There were 982 potted flowering plant producers in 2013, down 8 percent from 2012.
Foliage Plants: The value of 2013 foliage plant sales, at $631 million, is down 1 percent from the previous year. Florida continues to dominate this category with 72 percent of the total value. Potted Foliage Plants represent 89 percent of the total foliage value. The remainder of the value is from hanging baskets. The number of foliage plant producers totaled 779 in 2013, down 5 percent from 2012.
Cut Flowers: The wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers is $419 million for 2013, down slightly from 2012. California's value is $328 million, accounting for 78 percent of the total cut flower value in the 15-State program. In 2013, the number of producers dropped to 301.
Cut Cultivated Greens: Cut cultivated greens wholesale value for 2013, at $77.2 million, is up 2 percent from 2012. Florida's value, at $60.8 million, represents 79 percent of the category total. The number of producers in 2013, at 160, increased 2 percent from the previous year.
Propagative Floriculture Materials: Total value of sales of material for propagating annual bedding and garden plants, potted herbaceous perennials, potted flowering plants, foliage plants, cut flowers, and cut cultivated greens is $390 million for 2013, up 1 percent from the previous year. The three leading States, California, Michigan, and Florida, account for 60 percent of the 15-State total.
To see a PDF of the "Top Five States by Wholesale Value of Sale, 2013 (for operations with $100,000 plus in sales)" click here.
To visit the NASS page on floriculture, click here.