• California apple crop down

California's 2009 apple crop forecast is 165,000 thousand tons, down 8 percent from 2008, according to the USDA/NASS California field office.

Acreage is estimated at 19,000 acres, resulting in a yield of 8.68 tons per acre. California growers are expecting an average apple crop for the 2009 crop year. Harvest began during the middle of July. There has been low pest and disease pressure; quality is looking very good.

• Bartlett pears

The forecast of the 2009 Bartlett pear crop in California is 195,000 tons, unchanged from last year, according to USDA/NASS California field office. The 2009 other pear forecast for California is 55,000 tons, up 15 percent from last year. The California Bartletts began blooming in March. In late-April, pear orchards in the north coast experienced excellent bloom. In mid-May, Bartlett pears were developing in the Sacramento Valley. The weather has been generally good for growing conditions with no extreme hot temperatures. There were minimal amounts of frost reported in growing regions. Harvest is nearing completion in the Sacramento Valley, while Lake and Mendocino counties are in the early stages of harvesting.

• Rice, alfalfa crop forecasts

The California rice crop forecast is 45.8 million cwt., up 7 percent from 2008; alfalfa hay is 6.63 million tons, down less than 1 percent; other hay is 2.43 million tons, up 12 percent; corn for grain is 630,000 tons, down 32 percent; sugar beets are 1.01 million tons, up less than 1 percent; dry beans are 1.43 million cwt., up 49 percent from 2008.

• California cotton

California cotton production estimated at 538,000 bales Upland cotton production in California is forecast at 208,000 bales, a decrease of 43 percent from last year, according to the USDA/NASS California field office.

Harvested acreage is estimated at 64,000 acres, resulting in a yield of 1,560 pounds per acre. California’s American Pima cotton production forecast is 330,000 bales, down 18 percent from last year. Harvested acreage is estimated at 127,000 acres, resulting in a yield of 1,247 pounds per acre.