Vegetable & Melon Farming
Description
Companies in this industry produce vegetable and melon crops, seeds, and bedding plants. Major companies include US-based Bolthouse Farms, Chiquita, and Dole Food, along with Chaoda Modern Agriculture (based in Hong Kong), Fresh Del Monte Produce (Cayman Islands), and Mastronardi Produce (Canada).
The global fruit and vegetable seeds market is forecast to reach about $14 billion by 2029, at about 5.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the forecast period, according to Open PR. The market is majorly driven by the rising demand for good quality and high performing seeds.
The US vegetable and melon farming industry includes about 70,000 farms with combined annual revenue of about $30 billion, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Vegetable and melon farming covers about 50 types of produce, including lettuce, dried beans, carrots, sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe. Other fruit production is covered in the Fruit & Tree Nut Farming profile.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is driven by population growth, consumer preferences, and government programs promoting fresh produce. The profitability of individual companies depends on maximizing crop yield and minimizing loss from disease, insects, or unfavorable weather. Large companies have advantages in diversified crop production and access to labor. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing.
The vegetable and melon industry competes with grain, oilseed, fruit, and tree nut farming for cropland, as farmers tend to grow crops with the highest yield and payout.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major US products include potatoes (about 35% of revenue), sweet corn (about 20%), tomatoes (about 10%), snap beans (about 10%).
Vegetables are farmed according to two primary end-uses: fresh or processed. Processing is the canning, freezing, or dehydrating of vegetables. Fresh market and processed crops require distinct seed stock and growing methods. For example, a potato farmer selects tuber sets specifically engineered to be sold and consumed fresh or as a processed product (French fries, potato chips, dehydrated potato flakes).
A farm operator selects crops according to the region's temperature, moisture, sunlight, and soil type. Root, tuber, lettuce, and some vegetable crops grow best in cool weather; melons and many fresh vegetables have the highest yield in temperate or warm weather.
A plant's transplant-to-harvest growing season can range from 40 (herbs and lettuce) to 120 days (peppers and tomatoes). Slow-growing vegetables and melons are almost always warm-weather crops. Farm operators start the growing season by raising seeds in greenhouses or covering seedlings under plastic row covers. Temperature control is important during the growing season and at harvest. For example, many tomato plants are grown on long poles and picked daily to encourage continued upright growth and an extended harvest.
Harvesting methods vary from crop to crop. Tender plants, melons, and soft-skinned fruits like tomatoes are hand-harvested by field workers. Most processed vegetable, root, and tuber crops are harvested mechanically. Hand-harvested crops are typically field-packed into boxes and kept cool prior to marketing. Cantaloupes and watermelons are often force-air-cooled to remove field heat, which maximizes shelf life. Root and tuber crops such as carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes often require long-term storage and/or short-term curing to heal scrapes and cuts.
Common inputs include seed, plants, and vines; chemicals to control weeds, disease, and insects; fertilizer to condition the soil; and machinery and supplies. Depending on the crop and weather conditions, irrigation can be a costly input. Operator and hired farm labor is a significant input, although one-third of all vegetable and melon farms are run by an operator whose primary profession isn't farming.
The global fruit and vegetable seeds market is forecast to reach about $14 billion by 2029, at about 5.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the forecast period, according to Open PR. The market is majorly driven by the rising demand for good quality and high performing seeds.
The US vegetable and melon farming industry includes about 70,000 farms with combined annual revenue of about $30 billion, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Vegetable and melon farming covers about 50 types of produce, including lettuce, dried beans, carrots, sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe. Other fruit production is covered in the Fruit & Tree Nut Farming profile.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Demand is driven by population growth, consumer preferences, and government programs promoting fresh produce. The profitability of individual companies depends on maximizing crop yield and minimizing loss from disease, insects, or unfavorable weather. Large companies have advantages in diversified crop production and access to labor. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing.
The vegetable and melon industry competes with grain, oilseed, fruit, and tree nut farming for cropland, as farmers tend to grow crops with the highest yield and payout.
PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Major US products include potatoes (about 35% of revenue), sweet corn (about 20%), tomatoes (about 10%), snap beans (about 10%).
Vegetables are farmed according to two primary end-uses: fresh or processed. Processing is the canning, freezing, or dehydrating of vegetables. Fresh market and processed crops require distinct seed stock and growing methods. For example, a potato farmer selects tuber sets specifically engineered to be sold and consumed fresh or as a processed product (French fries, potato chips, dehydrated potato flakes).
A farm operator selects crops according to the region's temperature, moisture, sunlight, and soil type. Root, tuber, lettuce, and some vegetable crops grow best in cool weather; melons and many fresh vegetables have the highest yield in temperate or warm weather.
A plant's transplant-to-harvest growing season can range from 40 (herbs and lettuce) to 120 days (peppers and tomatoes). Slow-growing vegetables and melons are almost always warm-weather crops. Farm operators start the growing season by raising seeds in greenhouses or covering seedlings under plastic row covers. Temperature control is important during the growing season and at harvest. For example, many tomato plants are grown on long poles and picked daily to encourage continued upright growth and an extended harvest.
Harvesting methods vary from crop to crop. Tender plants, melons, and soft-skinned fruits like tomatoes are hand-harvested by field workers. Most processed vegetable, root, and tuber crops are harvested mechanically. Hand-harvested crops are typically field-packed into boxes and kept cool prior to marketing. Cantaloupes and watermelons are often force-air-cooled to remove field heat, which maximizes shelf life. Root and tuber crops such as carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes often require long-term storage and/or short-term curing to heal scrapes and cuts.
Common inputs include seed, plants, and vines; chemicals to control weeds, disease, and insects; fertilizer to condition the soil; and machinery and supplies. Depending on the crop and weather conditions, irrigation can be a costly input. Operator and hired farm labor is a significant input, although one-third of all vegetable and melon farms are run by an operator whose primary profession isn't farming.
Table of Contents
- Industry Overview
- Quarterly Industry Update
- Business Challenges
- Business Trends
- Industry Opportunities
- Call Preparation Questions
- Financial Information
- Industry Forecast
- Web Links and Acronyms
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