Vegetables and Melons Outlook - Vanishing asparagus acreage

From the 44-page Oct. 23 Vegetables and Melons Outlook. The section on asparagus caught my eye....

Production of fresh-market asparagus declined 22 percent in 2008 to 0.72 million cwt with reduced acreage (especially in California) accounting for the drop. California growers have reduced asparagus area 50 percent over the last decade in response to increased import competition, greater acreage in other States and lower prices. Area has also been seriously eroded in Washington State, largely the result of plant closings/moving by asparagus processors. In 1989, Washington harvested 32,000 acres of asparagus but is now down to just 6,500 acres. In Michigan, where most of the crop is processed, harvested area dropped from 23,000 in 1989 to 11,200 acres in 2008. Between 2000 and 2008, the value of the U.S. fresh-market asparagus crop has dropped from $176 million to $64 million.

Imports have continued to fill in behind domestic producers in 2008. The volume of fresh asparagus imports during January-July was up 15 percent from the same period a year earlier and 73 percent above that of 5 years ago. Fresh asparagus imports are three times as large as a decade earlier, with imports now satisfying two-thirds of domestic consumption. Mexico and Peru accounted for most of the fresh asparagus volume imported through July. Although both countries are year round asparagus suppliers, volume from Mexico is greatest during the winter, while shipments from Peru are strong from late summer through the end of the year. With imports filling in for domestic output, U.S. per capita use of asparagus in 2008 is expected to remain steady at 1.17 pounds.