Assessment of the Production and Marketing Potential for Fruits and Vegetables in the South. Bulletin No. 269

摘要

The South continues to be an important supply area for commercial vegetable production - 27% of all vegetables for the fresh market were produced in the South in 1977. Although market power has been concentrated in terms of production and marketing, there is renewed interest in locally grown produce, especially for small producers who are located near population centers. Although a large variety of fruits and vegetables were found to offer potential for expansion through direct marketing, the crops with the greatest potential for local farmers' markets are those most preferred in that area. Fruit and vegetables produced for the regional and national markets need a longer shelf life than those produced for direct markets. In general, opportunities for expansion through either regional or national markets are high. Opportunities for expanding the amount of vegetables produced for the processing market were rated low. Only cucumbers and Irish potatoes had good potential. Although evaluations of the potential for expanding production of fruit and vegetable crops for marketing through six alternative types of markets are subjective, they provide an indication of future growth for these marketing options. (ERA citation 07:048176)