Strawberry Values

TOP CROP Strawberries, shown growing in a Watsonville field, are the most valuable crop in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

Tarmo Hannula/File photo

Strawberries are big business

Crops are tops in Santa Cruz, Monterey counties

STAFF REPORT

At nearly $194 million in value, strawberries remain the number one crop in Santa Cruz County, according to the 2020 Crop Report, the most recent year available.

The same is true in neighboring Monterey County, where strawberries took the top spot as the most valuable crop in 2021 at $968 million, a 4.9% increase from 2020 as a result of increased acreage, yield and pricing.

The total gross production value of Santa Cruz County agricultural commodities for 2020 was $636,032,000.

In Monterey County, it was $4.1 billion in 2021. This increase represents a $190 million rise from 2020, when the gross production value was $3.9 billion, announced Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales.

“It is important to note that the values represented in this report reflect gross value of agricultural commodities grown in Monterey County, and does not consider costs associated with labor, field preparation, planting, irrigating, harvesting, distribution and other production activities,” Gonzales said in the 2021 Monterey County Crop and Livestock Report, which was released July 12. “As is always the case, we saw some crops increase in value while others decreased in value.”

In Santa Cruz County, berries saw an overall increase of 6.4% compared to 2019, representing 60% of total gross production, despite a slow kickoff at the start of the pandemic.

“We were really surprised and happy to see that the losses in our industry were minimized, to a certain extent,” Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner Juan Hidalgo said. “Berries increased and veggies did OK, too. To be able to see an increase in any way during a pandemic is a very good thing.”

2022 OPEN STUDIOS ART TOUR

OFFICIAL GUIDE

The Open Studios Art Tour is Santa Cruz County’s premier arts event, and the official event guide is a beautifully designed, full color, 108-page magazine featuring the approximately 300 participating local artists.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

welcome back!

Open Studios Art tour 2021 | guide & mAp | Free

october

2-3 South County 9-10 North County 16-17 All County Hours 11am-5pm

Stacy Frank, Artist #213

01_Cover_OSAT2021Guide_F.indd 1 OS2021.indd 1 MAJOR SPONSORS

8/25/21 2:42 PM8/25/2021 5:07:41 PM

Publication date Wednesday, September 14 Space reservation deadline Friday, August 5, 3pm Electronic ad deadline Friday, August 19, 5pm