SEED CROP VALUE DECLINES 14 PERCENT

News Release from USDA May 5, 2015

The value of Hawaii’s seed industry is estimated at $159 million for the 2013-14 season. This preliminary estimate represents a 14 percent decline from the 2012-13 revised estimate of $184 million.  This decline is attributed to operating and organizational changes.

Seed corn accounts for $155 million, or 98 percent, of the total value in 2013-14.  Various other seed crops account for the remaining 2 percent.

Outshipments of seed are projected to total 7.97 million pounds during the 2013-14 season, down 3 percent from the revised 8.25 million pounds shipped during the previous season.

Acreage harvested for all seed crops is expected to total 4,840 during the 2013-14 season, down 18 percent from the previous revised season.

A PDF of the full report is attached or can be access online here.

Star-Adv May 6, 2015: "Because the companies don't sell the seeds they produce in Hawaii, the Statistics Service uses the cost of production to represent industry value."