The latest California Field Crop Review from the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Cotton

California's 2010 Upland cotton production is estimated at 380,000 480-pound bales as of Dec. 1, an increase of 58 percent from last year. This is based on 123,000 acres for harvest. The yield calculates to 1,483 pounds per acre. Harvest was nearly complete by the end of November.

California's 2010 American Pima cotton production is estimated at 450,000 480-pound bales, 25 percent above last year's crop.  The yield of 1,174 pounds is 21 percent above 2009.

U.S. All cotton production is forecast at 18.3 million 480-pound bales, down 1 percent from last month, but up 50 percent from last year’s 12.2 million bales. Yield is expected to average 814 pounds per harvested acre, up 37 pounds from last year.

U.S. Upland cotton production is forecast at 17.8 million 480-pound bales, down 1 percent from last month, but 51 percent above 2009. Producers in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas are expecting decreased yields from last month.

U.S. American Pima production, forecast at 497,800 bales, was carried forward from last month.

Dry edible beans

California's 2010 dry bean production is estimated at 1.39 million cwt., 12 percent below last year. Harvested acreage totaled 63,000, 9 percent below the previous year. The overall yield was 2,200 pounds per acre, down 4 percent from last year.

Large lima production at 409,000 cwt., was 2 percent above the 2009 crop. Baby lima production, estimated at 269,000 cwt., was 24 percent below last year's crop.

Light red kidney production at 21,000 cwt. was 50 percent below last year. The dark red kidney output of 11,000 cwt. was 22 percent above the 2009 crop. The blackeye crop of 294,000 cwt. was 9 percent above last year. Production of garbanzos totaled 271,000 cwt., 4 percent below last year.

U.S. dry edible bean production is forecast at 31.3 million cwt. for 2010, up 23 percent from 2009. Planted area is forecast at 1.91 million acres, up 23 percent from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 1.83 million acres, 25 percent above the previous year. The average U.S. yield is forecast at 1,706 pounds per acre, a decrease of 31 pounds from 2009.

Fall potatoes

California's fall potato production is forecast at 2.28 million cwt., down 42 percent from 2009.  Favorable weather conditions aided yields and resulted in good crop quality reports from growers.

U.S. production of fall potatoes for 2010 is forecast at 361 million cwt., down slightly from the Nov. 1 forecast and down 8 percent from last year. Area harvested at 882,800 acres is slightly above the Nov. 1 forecast, but 4 percent below the 2009 estimate. The average yield forecast, at 409 cwt. per acre, is down 1 cwt. per acre from the November 1 forecast and 20 cwt. per acre below last year’s record high yield.