May 24, 2011 | Posted by Barry Eberling
Solano County crops value rises slightly to top $259 million
tomato-copy/> Description: Crews harvest tomatoes outside of Dixon in 2007.
Tomatoes are the county's number one crop for the second year in a row.
(Daily Republic file 2007)
Crews harvest tomatoes outside of Dixon in 2007. Tomatoes are the county's number one crop for the second year in a row. (Daily Republic file 2007)
FAIRFIELD - Solano County reported Tuesday that crops in 2010 had a value of
$259.4 million, a 3 percent rise from the previous year.
"Just as a diverse portfolio can buffer financial investment during tumultuous times, a diverse agriculture can sustain its value and importance to the community," Agricultural Commissioner Jim Allan wrote in the annual Solano County Crop and Livestock report.
Even though specific crops saw changes in value, the overall value of more than 80 crops remains constant, he wrote.
Tomatoes continued to be the local king of agriculture, holding the position of the county's No. 1 crop for the second consecutive year. Tomatoes were worth $36.9 million. Even so, that is down from $39.4 million in 2009. The county attributed the drop to lower tonnage after a relatively cool summer.
Walnuts ranked second after having a good year that the county attributed to strong export markets and demand for nuts as a healthy food. The crop had a value of $31.1 million, compared to $21 million in 2009.
The No. 3-ranked nursery category continued experiencing problems in light of the homebuilding slowdown and the corresponding reduced demand for ornamental plants. It had a value of $23.3 million, a drop from the 2009 total of $33.4 million. Nursery products in 2007 ranked number one among county crops, with a value of $56.6 million.
Rounding out the top 10 were cattle at $22.6 million, alfalfa at $19.7 million, milk at $13.3 million, corn at $9.9 million, grapes at $9.2 million, almonds at $8.4 million and sheep and lambs at $6.3 million.
That $259.4 million total for county crops was below the all-time high of
$292.7 million reported in 2008, but is the third-highest total over the past 10 years. The lowest total during that period was the $185.6 million reported in 2001.
Please go to http://www.solanocounty.com/ag to see the county crop report.
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646, ext. 232, or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
