Texas Agricultural Extension Service

NOVEMBER, 1996VOL. 7, NO. 11

IN THIS ISSUE:
1996 CITRUS CROP
1996 PECAN CROP
THE FATTENING OF AMERICANS

1996 CITRUS CROP -----

While Florida is facing record crops of oranges and grapefruit this season, the Texas citrus industry is looking to substantial increases in production as our orchards continue to mature from the massive rehabilitation and replanting that started in 1990.

Texas red grapefruit production is estimated to be 228,000 tons, up about 25 percent from last year. In addition, the crop is of better quality because of the near absence of sheepnosing of the fruit.

Texas orange production is estimated at 61,625 tons, about 53 percent more than a year ago. Fruit quality appears to be rather good.

Harvesting started in mid-September with early oranges, while grapefruit began passing maturity standards in early October, so shipping is nearing full speed for early oranges, navels and grapefruit.

Julian W. Sauls
Professor & Extension Horticulturist

1996 PECAN CROP-----

This year, pecans will be in a little shorter supply since we are in the "off" year of the alternate bearing cycle. Nationally, the U.S.DA. estimates 244.7 million pounds which is about 9.0 percent lower than last year's 268 million pounds.

Closer to home, the three western states of New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas are estimated to have only about 57.5 percent of the prior year's production with a combined crop of 80 million pounds as compared to 139 million pounds a year ago.

For Texas, the drop from 75 million to 40 million pounds is a 47 percent decline.

Top dog Georgia expects a total crop of 100 million pounds, some 25 million pounds more than last year.

Meanwhile, the National Pecan Shellers Association is claiming 277.8 million pounds will be produced, citing their belief in larger crops than the USDA estimate for Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas.

Julian W. Sauls
Professor & Extension Horticulturist

THE FATTENING OF AMERICANS -----

We've all heard that Americans are getting fatter‹and it's true, according to the results of a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, MD. Of 30,000 people surveyed in 1991-94, 59 percent of men and 49 percent of women had a body mass index (BMI=weight (kg)/height(m)2) greater than 25 (the feds believe BMI should be maintained below 25). Contrast those figures to a similar survey in 1981-84 in which only 51 percent of men and 41 percent of women had a BMI greater than 25. Basically, both sexes saw an 8.0 percent increase in the 10 year period between surveys.

In the realm of extremely fat people (BMI>40), the numbers doubled in the last 10 years to 2.0 percent of men and 4.0 percent of women. It should be noted that significant health problems begin to emerge when BMI exceeds 27. Some authorities describe obesity as BMI = 30.

Almost paradoxically, cholesterol levels have been falling and blood pressure has remained about steady to a slight decline‹although diabetes appears to be increasing.

I guess this means that although we've gotten a little fatter, we must be eating more of the right foods (i.e. fruits and vegetables)‹but we must not be exercising enough to prevent getting fatter.

Julian W. Sauls
Professor & Extension Horticulturist

JULIAN W. SAULS, Ph.D.
Professor & Extension Horticulturist
2401 East Highway 83
Weslaco TX 78596
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