CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 
 CIRCULAR 373 SEPTEMBER, 1947 
 
 CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS 
 
 ECONOMIC STATUS 1946-47 
 
 Sidney Hoos and H. Fisk Phelps 
 
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 o 
 
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 < 
 
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 i- 
 3 
 
 CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS 
 UTILIZATION AND FARM PRICE 
 
 1920 
 
 1930 
 
 1940 
 
 200 
 
 160 
 
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 40 
 
 THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA • BERKELEY 
 
Acreage 
 
 MORE 
 
 ABOUT 
 
 THIS ON 
 
 PAGE 
 
 -in California reached a peak in 1940, has declined since, 
 -elsewhere in United States increased at an even faster rate and 
 more steadily, reached a peak in 1942. 
 
 Plantings . . . . 
 
 -in California have been increasing since 1943, and are large 
 enough to maintain bearing acreage through 1949. 
 
 Production . . . 
 
 -in California, although it has increased to about two and one 
 third times that in 1918, is now a little less than half the 
 country's total. 
 
 -in United States has increased to four times that in 1918, and 
 will probably continue to increase for several years. 
 
 Yields 
 
 -in California decreased from 1918 to 1932, have increased 
 
 slightly since 1938. 
 ■elsewhere in United States are higher on the average than in 
 
 California — especially in New Jersey and Washington. 
 
 Fresh market 
 
 -now takes about 25 per cent of total production, both in Cali- 
 fornia and in United States as a whole. 
 
 Canning 
 
 Freezin 
 
 3 
 3 
 
 6 
 6 
 
 7 
 7 
 
 -now takes about 60 per cent of total production, both in Cali- 
 fornia and in United States as a whole. 10 
 
 -takes almost 15 per cent of total production in California, may 
 increase. 1 1 
 
 Farm Price . . . 
 
 -in California for processing asparagus has been steadier than 
 
 for fresh. 14 
 
 -increased sharply from the 1930's to 1946. 15 
 
 -will continue at present levels only if consumer income and 
 
 purchasing power keep high. 15 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC 
 
 STATUS, 1946-1947 
 
 Sidney Hoos'and H. Fisk Phelps 2 
 
 Although California still produces more asparagus than any other state, 
 important production shifts have occurred in recent years. Such shifts are 
 discussed in this circular, as are also the factors of acreage and planting, pro- 
 duction, use of the harvested product— fresh, canned, and frozen— and farm 
 prices. 
 
 
 ACREAGE 
 
 The five-year downward trend in acre- Since World War I, the total 
 
 ■ ■ ■ •■■ . .. ,r . acreage of asparagus in the 
 
 age probably will not continue. If state . & , *\ & . 
 
 United States has increased 
 acreage is maintained, United States better than 400 Der cent: 
 
 acreage may be maintained. from 24,460 acres in 1918 to 
 
 124,820 in 1946. Although 
 California's asparagus acreage also shows a substantial increase during this 
 period— well over 300 per cent— it did not increase so rapidly nor so steadily 
 .is that of other asparagus-producing states. 
 
 Acreage in the United States increased sharply until 1933, declined some- 
 what for three years, then rose to a new peak in 1942. Figure 1 shows that the 
 decline and rise from 1933 to 1940 was influenced by the decline and rise in 
 California acreage. Since 1940, however, the decline in California acreage was 
 offset, partly but not entirely, by the expansion of asparagus acreage in other 
 states. But even in the total of states, excluding California, acreage has been 
 barely maintained since 1943. 
 
 It is important to note (fig. 1) the consistent growth in acreage outside Cali- 
 fornia. Xot even the depression years of the 1930's caused a cutback in acreage. 
 These comparative trends, in California and in the total of other states, clearly 
 indicate the long-time shifts which occurred in the location of asparagus grow- 
 in" in this country. 
 
 States other than California which have substantial acreage in asparagus 
 are New Jersey, Washington, Illinois, South Carolina, and Michigan, in de- 
 c teasing order of acreage size. The relative amounts of acreage in New Jersey 
 and Washington, as compared with California, are shown in figure 2. Not only 
 have New Jersey and Washington shown a continuous growth, but they have 
 expanded their acreage substantially during the past ten years. Together, they 
 now have slightly over half (52 per cent) as large an acreage as California. 
 South Carolina's acreage reached its peak with 9,500 acres in 1932, remained at 
 
 1 Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics, Associate Economist in the Experiment Sta- 
 tion and on the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. 
 
 - Associate in the Experiment Station and on the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Eco- 
 nomics. 
 
 [3] 
 
4 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 that level for five years, then, since 1937, has experienced a downward trend. 
 Although both Illinois and Michigan have had a rising trend in acreage, they 
 did not rise so steadily nor so high as did New Jersey and Washington. 
 
 No appreciable change in geographic distribution of total asparagus acre- 
 age within California has occurred in the past eighteen years. The Sacramento- 
 San Joaquin Delta area had about 93 per cent of the total state acreage during 
 that period. The only major change occurred in the Imperial Valley, where 
 acreage decreased from over 2,000 acres in 1929 to 200 in 1946. 
 
 Figure 1 
 
 ASPARAGUS ACREAGE IN THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 CALIFORNIA, AND ALL OTHER STATES 
 
 1918 - 1946 
 
 150 
 
 945 
 
 Imperial Valley's asparagus acreage was relatively high twenty to twenty-five 
 years ago, because its production came on early and permitted a large shipment 
 to eastern markets. However, in the Delta region of northern California the 
 technique was developed of flooding the asparagus acreage in January and 
 February to keep the ground warm and thus hasten production. By this 
 method some of the asparagus was ready to be shipped to eastern markets well 
 ahead of that of Imperial Valley. Another factor affecting Imperial Valley 
 acreage was the undependable flow of asparagus to canneries in southern Cali- 
 fornia, caused partly by fluctuations in the fresh shipping market and partly 
 by extreme heat early in the season. Such factors led to the reduction of 
 asparagus acreage in Imperial Valley and the substitution of alternative crops. 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 PLANTINGS 
 
 Bearing acreage will probably be main- 
 tained through 1949. Large plantings 
 are necessary in 1948 and 1949 to 
 maintain bearing acreage through 1 95 1 . 
 
 Although the trend in total 
 asparagus acreage in Cali- 
 fornia has been downward 
 since 1940, plantings have 
 increased yearly since 1943. 
 Table 1 clearly indicates the 
 present trend toward maintaining and, possibly, increasing bearing acreage 
 north of the Tehachapi, which contains over 95 per cent of the state acreage. 
 Asparagus beds normally come into bearing at two years of age, and produce 
 for about eleven years. Thus, acreage planted in 1945 will bear in 1947; and 
 acreage planted in 1934 will ordinarily be out of production by 1947. Because 
 of the variation in bearing life, however, estimates of removals in any one year 
 (for example, 1947) are best made by averaging plantings for three years (for ex- 
 ample, 1933-1935). The estimates of annual removals shown in table 1, column 
 4, must be equaled by plantings two years previous (col. 2) in order to main- 
 tain bearing acreage. The estimated removals for 1947 and 1948 were more 
 than equaled by the plantings in 1945 and 1946; and intentions to plant for 
 1947— acreage that will come into bearing two years later— exceed the esti- 
 mated removals for 1949. Indications point, therefore, to bearing acreage 
 being at least maintained through 1949. Large plantings will be needed in 
 1948 and 1949, however, to maintain the bearing acreage through 1951. 
 
 Figure 2 
 
 ASPARAGUS ACREAGE IN CALIFORNIA, 
 
 NEW JERSEY, AND WASHINGTON 
 
 1918- 1946 
 
 80 - 
 
 < 60 
 
 en 
 
 o 
 
 X 
 
 40 
 
 tr 
 < 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 CALIf 
 
 "ORNIA x 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 NEW v 
 
 JERSEY-. 
 
 
 
 /*** 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 __• 
 
 
 --— ' 
 
 WASHINGTON -s 
 
 _ .*•• #•••••4 •••••••••••• ••*• *i 
 
 ■ 1 1 1 
 
 
 1920 
 
 1925 
 
 1930 
 
 1935 
 
 1940 
 
 1945 
 
6 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 Analysis of trends in California asparagus acreage plantings and removals 
 indicates that the downward trend in acreage of the past five years probably 
 will not continue. During that period, acreage in the major producing states 
 other than California was either constant or increasing; thus, the United States 
 acreage decrease from 1942 to 1946 was caused primarily by a decrease in Cali- 
 fornia acreage. Since, as mentioned above, California acreage will probably be 
 maintained for the next three or four years, it is likely that United States acre- 
 age will be at least maintained. 
 
 PRODUCTION 
 
 If present acreage is maintained, state 
 
 production will remain at about the 
 
 present level— or possibly a little higher 
 
 —for several years. 
 
 United States harvested pro- 
 duction of asparagus showed 
 a steady increase from 1918. 
 By 1945, it had increased al- 
 most 300 per cent. In con- 
 
 trast to the steady increase 
 in United States production, California harvested production reached a peak 
 in 1930, and since then has tended to decrease slightly. Compared with the 300 
 per cent increase for the country as a whole, California's 1945 production was 
 about 130 per cent greater than in 1918. For a clearer understanding of these 
 changes, trends in the major producing states will be considered separately. 
 
 California. Asparagus production in California increased sharply from 192 1 
 to 1930, then fluctuated about a slightly declining trend. Associated with the 
 
 Table 1 
 
 PLANTINGS, REMOVALS, AND BEARING ACREAGE FOR THE CALIFORNIA AREA 
 
 NORTH OF TEHACHAPI 
 
 
 Intentions 
 to plant 
 
 Planted 
 
 Coming into 
 bearing 
 
 Plowed 
 out 
 
 Bearing 
 acreage 
 
 Period or year 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 Acres 
 
 Average 
 
 1938-1942 
 Annual 
 
 1943 
 
 1944 
 
 1945 
 
 9,350 
 
 2,503 
 3,998 
 5,990 
 9,869 
 12,830 
 
 7,116 
 
 2,371 
 2,784 
 5,795 
 7,716 
 
 7,443 
 7,492 
 2,371 
 2,784 
 5,795 
 7,716 
 12,830* 
 
 8,082 
 
 7,968 
 6,594 
 4,490 
 5,946 
 4,700* 
 7,500* 
 11,000* 
 11,700* 
 9,700* 
 
 72,183 
 
 68,204 
 67,690 
 63,293 
 
 1946 
 
 61,543 
 
 1947 
 
 1948 
 
 1949 
 
 61,299 
 
 1950 
 
 
 1951 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 * Estimated (see text p. 5). 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 7 
 
 reduced acreage during the 1930's was a dip in production. Although produc- 
 tion recovered, it did not reach the 1930 peak. As shown in figure 3, Califor- 
 nia's production exceeded that of all other states combined until 1941; since 
 then, the aggregate production of other states has continued to increase. As a 
 result, California now produces a little less than half of the country's aspar- 
 agus, in contrast to over three fourths (77 per cent) during 1918-1920. 
 
 Other States. The production trends for New Jersey and Washington— the 
 two next largest producing states—are shown in figure 4 for comparison with 
 California's annual output. Production in New Jersey has followed an accel- 
 erating trend, for the period as a whole, as has that in Washington since 1935, 
 in contrast to California. South Carolina's production, because of low yields, 
 has not been in proportion to its acreage. 
 
 Yields. The volume of asparagus production in any year largely depends 
 upon the amount of bearing acreage and its yield per acre, which is affected 
 by the age distribution of bearing acreage. Although estimates of age distribu- 
 tion of bearing acreage are available only for California, yields per acre have 
 been computed lor all states. Figure 5 shows the yields for the three states lead- 
 ing in production. California experienced a gradual downward trend in yield 
 from 1918 to 1932, with wide fluctuations from year to year. Since 1938, Cali- 
 fornia's yield has varied about a slightly rising trend. Both New Jersey and 
 Washington have shown definite upward trends in yield since 1924, and have 
 enjoyed appreciably higher yields than California during the past ten years. 
 
 Production Outlook. Accurate forecasts of future production cannot be 
 made because complete data are lacking. Tentative estimates can be made, 
 
 Figure 3 
 
 HARVESTED ASPARAGUS PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES, 
 
 CALIFORNIA, AND ALL OTHER STATES 
 
 1918- 1946 
 
 1940 
 
CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 Figure 4 
 
 ASPARAGUS PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA, 
 NEW JERSEY, AND WASHINGTON 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 191 
 
 8 - 1946 
 
 
 
 
 
 CALIFOR 
 
 NIA-\ / 
 
 
 
 
 
 TONS IN THOUSANDS 
 :> o o o c 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 NEV 
 
 / JERSEY^ 
 
 •*- 
 
 k/ 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 ■ 
 
 ^ - " 
 
 WASHIN 
 
 GTON-x 
 
 • ••♦•••••...«* *' 
 
 —4 1 1 » 
 
 * 
 •• 
 
 •• 
 
 • 
 
 
 • ••« 
 
 1920 
 
 1925 
 
 1930 
 
 1935 
 
 1940 
 
 1945 
 
 however, on the basis of the present and prospective trends in acreage and 
 yield, assuming that age distribution of asparagus beds remains relatively con- 
 stant. Although California acreage (fig. i) has followed a slight downward 
 trend over the last seven years, the present acreage will probably be main- 
 tained. This, in conjunction with slightly increasing yield (fig. 5) experienced 
 during the past eight years, can be expected to result in state production re- 
 maining at about the present level— or possibly a little higher— for several years. 
 
 In the other major producing states— New Jersey and Washington— both 
 acreage and yield per acre (fig. 5) have been increasing steadily over the past 
 ten years. Production is likely to continue its present upward trend in both of 
 those states (fig. 4). For the United States as a whole, the constant or the slightly 
 decreasing trend in California asparagus production will probably be more 
 than offset by the increasing trend in production in the other states; thus, 
 United States asparagus production probably will continue to increase grad- 
 ually for several years. 
 
 Production statistics do not completely reflect the final use of asparagus. 
 First, some quantities included in production data may not be marketed be- 
 cause of economic conditions, prorate and marketing agreements, or disease. 
 Second, part of the crop is processed, while the rest is shipped to fresh market. 
 And third, production for processing may go into either canned or frozen out- 
 lets. It is necessary, therefore, to consider utilization data to get a more com- 
 plete picture of the trends in the use of harvested asparagus. . 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 USE OF HARVESTED PRODUCTION 
 
 In California, canning now takes about 
 
 60 per cent of harvested production, 
 
 fresh shipments 25 per cent, and freezing 
 
 1 5 per cent. 
 
 In the United States as a 
 whole, harvested produc- 
 tion going into fresh use in- 
 creased steadily from 1922 
 to 1932, then gradually de- 
 creased with great yearly 
 fluctuations. In 1918, asparagus going into fresh-market channels made up 
 over 40 per cent of the total harvested production. Although the proportion 
 had increased to almost 70 per cent by 1932, it then decreased so that by 1945 
 only 25 per cent of the total production was utilized in fresh form. 
 
 The amount of harvested production used for canning in the United States 
 increased steadily during the entire period 1918 to 1945, except for a sharp 
 drop in 1931 and 1932, and again in 1937 and 1938. Although the absolute 
 quantity canned increased over this period, the percentage of the total har- 
 vested production canned showed marked fluctuations. Making up 57 per cent 
 of the total production in 1918, the proportion canned increased to almost 
 70 per cent in 1922, decreased to slightly over 30 per cent in 1932, and grad- 
 ually recovered to 60 per cent by 1945. 
 
 Figure 5 
 
 YIELD PER ACRE OF ASPARAGUS IN CALIFORNIA, 
 
 NEW JERSEY, AND WASHINGTON 
 
 1918-1946 
 
 200 
 
 1920 
 
 1925 
 
 1930 
 
 1935 
 
 1940 
 
 1945 
 
10 
 
 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 Figures on the use of asparagus for freezing were first reported in 1937, when 
 about 5 per cent of the total United States harvested production was used for 
 freezing purposes. For the last three years, both the absolute quantity frozen 
 and the percentage of total production frozen have increased. In 1946, almost 
 15 per cent of total production went into commercial freezing. 
 
 California. The use of harvested asparagus in California (fig. 6) has shown 
 somewhat different trends from those for the United States. The quantity 
 going into fresh-market channels increased during the ten-year period 1922- 
 1932, but since then has followed a gradual downward trend. In 1918, the 
 proportion of California harvested production used fresh was 25 per cent. 
 By 1932, fresh usage had increased to over 50 per cent of the total, but gradu- 
 ally returned to the 25 per cent level in 1945— about the same as for the United 
 States as a whole. 
 
 The quantity of California harvested production moving into canning 
 channels increased strongly from 1921 to 1929 (fig. 6). After a sharp decrease 
 to 1932, canning use increased again to 1936 and then fell to a lower level in 
 1938, about which it fluctuated through 1945. The percentage of California 
 harvested production used for canning has followed a steady downward 
 trend; comprising 75 per cent of the total in 1918, the proportion canned had 
 decreased to 47 per cent by 1932, and then recovered so that, in 1946, 61 per 
 cent of harvested production was used for canning. The extent to which Cali- 
 fornia's importance in the canning industry has decreased is brought out in 
 
 Figure 6 
 
 UTILIZATION OF CALIFORNIA HARVESTED ASPARAGUS PRODUCTION 
 
 1918 " 1946 
 
 150 
 
 1945 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 11 
 
 figure 7. In 1934, California packed about go per cent of all asparagus canned 
 in the United States. Since 1941, however, this state has accounted for about 
 ()o per cent of the total pack. This change in percentage is due mostly to in- 
 creases in tonnage packed in other states. 
 
 California asparagus for freezing is more significant from the viewpoint of 
 its potential growth than from the quantity now used by the frozen-food in- 
 
 Table 2 
 CARLOT SHIPMENTS OF FRESH ASPARAGUS BY STATES OF ORIGIN 
 
 (Railroad cars) 
 
 Period 
 
 or 
 
 year 
 
 California 
 
 Georgia 
 
 Illinois 
 
 New 
 Jersey 
 
 South 
 Carolina 
 
 Washing- 
 ton 
 
 Others 
 
 Total 
 United 
 States 
 
 Average 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19201924 
 
 469 
 
 2 
 
 149 
 
 215 
 
 140 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 983 
 
 1925-1929 
 
 1,393 
 
 88 
 
 165 
 
 120 
 
 409 
 
 94 
 
 18 
 
 2,287 
 
 1930-1934 
 
 2,608 
 
 113 
 
 109 
 
 18 
 
 539 
 
 84 
 
 92 
 
 3,563 
 
 1935 1939 
 
 1,636 
 
 70 
 
 31 
 
 1 
 
 343 
 
 41 
 
 65 
 
 2,186 
 
 1940-1944 
 
 2,178 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 11 
 
 116 
 
 85 
 
 8 
 
 2,213 
 
 Annual 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1945 
 
 829 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 111 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 981 
 
 1946 
 
 1,287 
 
 3 
 
 12 
 
 2 
 
 57 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 1,373 
 
 Figure 7 
 
 CANNED ASPARAGUS PACK IN CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES 
 AS PER CENT OF UNITED STATES PACK 
 
 1934- 1946 
 
 100 
 
12 
 
 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 dustry. In 1945, about 14 per cent of the production was frozen. The develop- 
 ment of varieties more suitable for freezing will help to expand the frozen- 
 asparagus outlet. 
 
 The proportions of California harvested production going into both fresh 
 and canned channels have remained fairly constant since 1932— at about 35 per 
 cent for fresh use and 60 per cent for canning. In 1946, frozen utilization 
 showed a marked increase, and the upward trend is likely to continue with the 
 growth of the frozen-food industry. 
 
 Fresh Shipments. The production of asparagus for fresh-market use is con- 
 centrated in relatively small areas in a few producing states. From these "sur- 
 plus" producing areas, the greater portion of the season's fresh supply is 
 
 Table 3 
 
 PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION BY GEOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS OF CALIFORNIA 
 CARLOT SHIPMENTS OF FRESH ASPARAGUS 
 
 Period or year 
 
 Average 
 1933-1937 
 1938-1942 
 
 Annual 
 
 1943 
 
 1944 
 
 1945 
 
 1946 
 
 New 
 England 
 
 11.3 
 11.9 
 
 8.9 
 7.7 
 5.7 
 9.0 
 
 Middle 
 Atlantic 
 
 East 
 
 North 
 
 Central 
 
 West 
 
 North 
 
 Central 
 
 Mountain 
 
 Pacific 
 
 Per cent 
 
 Others 
 
 47.9 
 
 21.9 
 
 7.3 
 
 2.5 
 
 5.1 
 
 46.6 
 
 26.5 
 
 6.0 
 
 2.2 
 
 3.7 
 
 42.7 
 
 26.4 
 
 6.7 
 
 2.7 
 
 4.9 
 
 44.7 
 
 26.9 
 
 7.5 
 
 4.0 
 
 3.9 
 
 41.1 
 
 27.7 
 
 6.3 
 
 6.3 
 
 8.8 
 
 49.9 
 
 25.5 
 
 4.2 
 
 2.6 
 
 3.6 
 
 4.0 
 3.1 
 
 7.7 
 5.3 
 4.1 
 5.2 
 
 shipped to the great consuming centers of the nation. Reliable data are avail- 
 able only for carlot shipments (table 2) of fresh asparagus. But carlot ship- 
 ments do not give a complete picture because an increasing amount of 
 shipments in the eastern states have been made by truck movement, especially 
 to local and near-by markets. Thus, carlot shipments give an exaggerated pic- 
 ture of California's importance as a shipper of fresh asparagus, relative to 
 other states. However, they do give an adequate picture of the state's ship- 
 ments to middle western and eastern markets. 
 
 The distribution of California's carlot shipments of fresh asparagus has 
 shown few significant changes over the last fourteen years. Table 3 compares 
 the percentage of California's shipments sent to the various geographic re- 
 gions of the United States from 1933 to 1946. During the war years the decrease 
 in percentage of California shipments to the New England and Middle At- 
 lantic states was accompanied by a corresponding increase in shipments to the 
 Mountain and Pacific states. In 1946, however, the prewar distribution of 
 shipments again prevailed to a great extent. 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 13 
 
 FARM PRICES 
 
 Farm prices of asparagus in 1946-47 
 exceeded peak wartime levels. How- 
 ever, wartime influences cannot be 
 expected to continue indefinitely. 
 
 The season's average prices 
 received by farmers for as- 
 paragus in all states have 
 shown three distinct trends 
 during the 1918-1946 pe- 
 riod: increasing from 1918 
 to 1922; decreasing from 1923 through 1933; and rising sharply since 1934. 
 The farm price for fresh-market asparagus in the major producing states is 
 shown in table 4. During the period 1918-1932, the price in California was 
 below the average for all states, but since 1933 (except for 1945) it has aver- 
 aged well above the prices in Washington and New Jersey, as well as the 
 average for all states. California fresh shipments to eastern markets occur in 
 the early weeks of the season, when the market price is high and before eastern 
 shipments are large enough to depress the market price. 
 
 The farm price for processing asparagus (table 4) is the average of the prices 
 paid for the two types of asparagus used for commercial processing— regular 
 white and all green. The prices paid growers for each type have followed the 
 same trends and fluctuations over the last fifteen years. However, the prices 
 for all-green asparagus have been higher than those for regular white. During 
 the last ten years this differential has been relatively constant, at about $20 
 per ton in favor of the all-green. The differential is influenced not only by the 
 increased preference of consumers for the canned all-green asparagus, but also 
 by the higher farm production costs. Farmers have to pay asparagus cutters 
 
 Table 4 
 
 SEASON'S AVERAGE FARM PRICE FOR FRESH-MARKET AND PROCESSING 
 
 ASPARAGUS 
 
 
 Fresh market 
 
 Processing 
 
 Period or year 
 
 California 
 
 Washington 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 Average 
 all states 
 
 California 
 
 
 Dollars per crate 
 
 Dollars per ton 
 
 Averages 
 
 1918-1922 
 
 1923-1927 
 
 1928-1932 
 
 1933-1937 
 
 1938-1942 
 
 Annual 
 
 1943 
 
 1944 
 
 1945 
 
 1946 
 
 2.16 
 2.05 
 1.86 
 1.25 
 1.61 
 
 2.75 
 2.70 
 2.70 
 3.30 
 
 2.49 
 1.87 
 1.05 
 1.17 
 
 1.85 
 2.05 
 2.15 
 2.15 
 
 2.37 
 2.44 
 1.66 
 1.13 
 1.52 
 
 2.50 
 2.10 
 2.80 
 2.45 
 
 2.56 
 2.41 
 1.94 
 1.25 
 1.50 
 
 2.44 
 2.36 
 2.76 
 2.62 
 
 83.00 
 83.00 
 74.00 
 71.79 
 91.24 
 
 151.30 
 153.30 
 168.00 
 183.00 
 
14 
 
 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 14 
 
 Figure 8 
 
 CALIFORNIA SEASON'S AVERAGE FARM PRICE 
 FOR FRESH-MARKET AND PROCESSING ASPARAGUS 
 
 1918 -1946 
 
 Z> 
 O 
 Q. 
 
 a: 
 iii 
 a. 
 
 </) 
 
 UJ 
 
 o 
 
 2- 
 
 PROCESSING 
 
 </ 
 
 n 
 
 *i ii 
 1920 
 
 i i i i i i i i i i i ' i 
 1935 1940 1945 
 
 1925 
 
 1930 
 
 more for cutting the all-green in the field than the regular white. Also there 
 is greater breakage of the green compared with the white, which lowers the 
 salable quantity of all-green per acre, and increases production cost per ton. 
 
 California Farm Prices. In order to compare farm prices of fresh-market 
 and processing asparagus in California, both have been converted to a cents- 
 per-pound basis (fig. 8). Both prices have shown two distinct trends— a decreas- 
 ing one from 1923 to the middle logo's, followed by a sharply increasing one 
 through 1946. Although the two sets of prices have changed in the same direc- 
 tion, they have been at different levels. While farm prices for fresh-market 
 asparagus have shown large annual fluctuations, the changes in the farm prices 
 of processing asparagus have been more moderate. 
 
 California farm prices for fresh-market asparagus have been consistently 
 higher than the farm prices for processing asparagus, when the two are com- 
 pared on a cents-per-pound basis (fig. 8). Because the fresh-market farm price 
 declined substantially more than did the processing farm price during the 
 period 1918-1934, the premium in favor of fresh-market asparagus narrowed 
 during that period. But since 1934, the premium has tended to increase again. 
 The higher season average farm price for California asparagus going to fresh 
 market is due to the fact that California fresh-market shipments are made 
 primarily early in the season, when the price in eastern markets is at a rela- 
 tively high level. As eastern-grown asparagus becomes more plentiful and the 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 15 
 
 market price declines seasonally, California contracts its fresh shipments, and 
 production is channeled into processing outlets. 
 
 In order to illustrate the year-to-year relationship between California aspar- 
 agus production for fresh market and the corresponding season's average farm 
 price, the two are shown in figure 9. Along with the trend in increasing pro- 
 duction for fresh market from 1922 to 1932, there was a tendency for the farm 
 price to follow a downward trend. Although fresh-market production de- 
 creased sharply from 1933 to 1938, the farm price rose only moderately. Only 
 after we had entered the World War II period did the California farm price 
 for fresh-market asparagus recover and rise sharply. But production for fresh 
 market was then below the immediate prewar years, due partly to the increased 
 demand by civilians and by the armed forces for canned asparagus. 
 
 The annual farm prices for California processing asparagus, and the state's 
 production for processing use are shown together in figure 10. The processing 
 production and farm-price relations are to some extent similar to those noted 
 for fresh-market asparagus. An important difference is that asparagus produc- 
 tion for processing generally increased during the war period. This will be 
 considered again (p. 17) in the section on the canned pack of asparagus. 
 
 Figures 9 and 10 clearly show that the California farm prices of asparagus 
 (fresh market and processing) reached higher levels during the war period 
 than ever before, and even continued to rise for the 1946-47 season. Similar 
 large price increases also occurred in other agricultural products and were due 
 largely to the wartime influences of heavily expanded consumer incomes, a 
 rising general price level, and inflationary pressure. However, such influences 
 cannot be expected to continue indefinitely. 
 
 Figure 9 
 
 CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS PRODUCTION FOR FRESH MARKET 
 AND SEASON'S AVERAGE FARM PRICE FOR FRESH-MARKET ASPARAGUS 
 
 1918 — 1946 
 
 1920 
 
 1925 
 
 1940 
 
16 
 
 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 CANNED ASPARAGUS 
 
 The asparagus pack of other states com- 
 petes with California's pack; and the 
 pack of other states has been following 
 an upward trend. 
 
 The canned asparagus in- 
 dustry in the United States 
 has grown steadily since 
 1934. This development is 
 well brought out by the fig- 
 ures for the canned pack 
 (table 5). The United States canned-asparagus pack has more than doubled 
 during the last thirteen years. Furthermore, the types of asparagus used for 
 canning have shown significant changes, The 1934 canned pack was made up 
 of 60 per cent regular white asparagus and 40 per cent all-green. As the total 
 canned pack increased, the pack of regular white remained relatively constant. 
 Thus, the increase in total pack was due entirely to the great increase in the 
 pack of all-green asparagus. The growing importance of all-green asparagus 
 for canning is indicated by the 1946 total pack, of which 73 per cent was all- 
 green and only 27 per cent the regular white type. 
 
 United States Pack and Shipments. The greater portion of the asparagus 
 canned in the United States has been packed in three states (fig. 11). While 
 the trend in California's pack was downward from 1934 to 1941, that in New 
 Jersey and Illinois was gradually rising. Since 1942, however, California has 
 steadily increased its canned pack, whereas the packs in both New Jersey and 
 
 Figure 10 
 
 CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS PRODUCTION FOR PROCESSING AND 
 SEASON'S AVERAGE FARM PRICE FOR PROCESSING ASPARAGUS 
 
 1918-1946 
 
 210 
 
 180 
 
 z 
 o 
 
 I- 
 
 QL 
 UJ 
 
 OL 
 
 cn 
 
 cc 
 < 
 _l 
 _J 
 o 
 o 
 
 1920 
 
 1925 
 
 1930 
 
 1935 
 
 1940 
 
 1945 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 17 
 
 Figure 1 1 
 
 CANNED ASPARAGUS PACK 
 
 IN CALIFORNIA, NEW JERSEY, AND ILLINOIS 
 
 1934-1946 
 
 3000 
 
 9 2400 
 
 $ 1200 
 
 < 
 o 
 
 < 
 => 
 
 600- 
 
 < 
 
 NEW JERSEY 
 
 .**' 
 
 <**'' 
 
 ■•** ^^ ILLINOIS 
 
 1935 
 
 ^—■■"^ 
 
 1940 
 
 I > 
 
 *■ 
 
 1945 
 
 Illinois have remained relatively constant. Only twelve years ago, California 
 accounted for about 90 per cent of the total United States canned-asparagus 
 pack. But during the 1934-1941 period, the California proportion decreased 
 and that of other states increased. Since 1942, the proportion of the total pack 
 canned by the various states has been relatively constant, with California con- 
 tributing about 60 per cent; New Jersey, 15 per cent; Illinois, 9 per cent; and 
 the other states, 16 per cent. 
 
 Three distinct levels of total United States canned shipments have been in 
 evidence over the last thirteen seasons (fig. 12). Each level has been higher 
 than the previous one, with the third level 50 per cent greater than the first. 
 This has resulted largely from the influence of government purchases for ship- 
 ment to the armed forces and the allies. Shipments into domestic civilian chan- 
 nels increased gradually from the 1934-35 season to 1942-43, then decreased 
 with a sharp drop in 1945-46, but increased to a new high in 1946. 
 
 Exports of canned asparagus were relatively constant from 1934-35 to 
 1937-38. For the next four seasons, exports were about half the previous 
 period. During the war years, shipments to war services greatly increased total 
 shipments into other than civilian channels. By 1946-47, export shipments 
 declined almost to the level of the middle 1930's. 
 
 California Canned Pack and Shipments. The asparagus-canning industry 
 in California has shown several distinct phases since 1918. From that date 
 through 1929, the canned pack increased steadily to over 2.6 million cases. 
 After a sharp drop in 1932, the pack increased slightly until 1936. Since 1936, 
 two trends have been in evidence (fig. 11): a decreasing one to 1941, and a 
 rising one from 1942 to 1946 when a record high pack was canned. 
 
18 
 
 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 The two types of asparagus used for canning in California have shifted con- 
 siderably in importance since 1930 (fig. 13). In that year, 90 per cent of the 
 asparagus canned was regular white and the remaining 10 per cent all-green. 
 The pack of regular white asparagus decreased gradually from 1930 through 
 1946, while the all-green pack was relatively constant from 1933 to 1941, and 
 then increased steadily through 1946. By 1946, the regular white pack was 
 only 42 per cent of the total pack, while all-green made up 58 per cent of the 
 
 Table 5 
 
 CANNED ASPARAGUS PACK IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE 
 
 MAJOR PRODUCING STATES 
 
 
 California 
 
 New Jersey 
 
 Illinois 
 
 United States 
 
 
 Actual cases in thousands 
 
 Average 
 
 1934-1938 
 
 1939-1943 
 
 Annual 
 
 1944 
 
 1945 
 
 1946 
 
 2,074 
 1,988 
 
 2,436 
 2,480 
 2,783 
 
 132 
 
 484 
 
 590 
 432 
 624 
 
 160 
 321 
 
 315 
 362 
 396 
 
 2,513 
 3,225 
 
 3,833 
 3,921 
 
 4,443 
 
 Figure 12 
 
 UNITED STATES SHIPMENTS OF CANNED ASPARAGUS 
 TO CIVILIANS AND TO EXPORTS AND WAR SERVICES 
 
 SEASONS, 1934-35 TO 1946-47 
 
 5.0 
 
 TOTAL SHIPMENTS 
 
 1935" 
 36 
 
CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS: ECONOMIC STATUS 
 
 19 
 
 total. The increase of the all-green pack is associated with the expansion of 
 asparagus canning in other states; California is the only state which cans the 
 regular white pack. 
 
 Statistical demand studies of California canned asparagus have shown that 
 the volume of annual shipments by packers is influenced not only by canners' 
 f.o.b. prices, but also by the level of income in the country. At a given price, 
 shipments tend to be greater when consumers' income is high than when it is 
 low. The statistical studies also support the view that the canned-asparagus 
 
 Figure 13 
 
 CANNED PACK OF REGULAR WHITE AND ALL-GREEN ASPARAGUS 
 
 IN CALIFORNIA 
 1930-1946 
 
 2500 
 
 / ^ — ALL GREEN 
 
 1930 
 
 i i 
 1935 
 
 i i i 
 
 1940 
 
 1945 
 
 pack of other states affects the demand for and shipments of California canned 
 asparagus. The pack of other states competes with the California pack. This 
 is important to California growers of asparagus for canning, as well as to can- 
 ners in this state, because the pack of other states has been increasing. 
 
 The major data on pack, carry-over, and shipments of California canned 
 asparagus are shown in table 6. The average carry-over during the 1930-1935 
 depression period was more than twice the carry-over during the previous rela- 
 tively prosperous period, 1925-1930. As purchasing power and economic 
 activity increased from the middle i93o's through 1946, the carry-over each 
 season has gradually been reduced. These adjustments in carry-over, plus the 
 opposite adjustment in the pack each season, have resulted in a relatively con- 
 stant annual supply available for shipment. 
 
 Agreements. As early as 1933, some California growers of processing aspar- 
 agus and some packers wanted to establish a formal procedure to set the pack 
 and take care of an expected surplus. But no plan was introduced, since it 
 proved impossible to bring the opposing factions into agreement. Although 
 no formal agreement was set up the following year (1934) the California 
 
20 
 
 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR 373 
 
 Table 6 
 CALIFORNIA PACK, CARRY-OVER, AND SHIPMENTS OF CANNED ASPARAGUS 
 
 Period or season 
 
 Carry-over 
 March 1 (from 
 previous year) 
 
 Pack 
 
 Total 
 
 supply 
 
 available 
 
 Shipments 
 
 
 Actual cases in thousands 
 
 Averages 
 
 1925-26 to 1929-30 
 
 1930-31 to 1934-35 
 
 1935-36 to 1939-40 
 1940-41 to 1944-45 
 
 Season (Mar.-Feb.) 
 
 1945-46 
 
 300 
 614 
 413 
 256 
 
 152 
 126 
 190 
 
 2,236 
 1,955 
 2,061 
 2,105 
 
 2,480 
 2,783 
 2,259 
 
 2,536 
 2,569 
 2,474 
 2,361 
 
 2,632 
 2,910 
 2,449 
 
 2,206 
 1,977 
 2,069 
 2,109 
 
 2,506 
 
 1946-47 
 
 2,720 
 
 1947-48 
 
 
 
 
 packers operated under a government license, and a committee fixed the pack 
 as well as established minimum prices to growers. The next season (1935) 
 the pack was fixed under AAA marketing agreement which also included a 
 schedule of minimum prices to growers. 
 
 A series of agreements under state legislation began in 1936. In that year 
 and the following, the California asparagus-canning industry was governed 
 by agreements authorized by the California Marketing Agreement Act passed 
 in 1935. Although no growers' prices were set nor was the pack limited in size, 
 the agreement provided for inspection and grading, limited the length of the 
 packing season, and restricted the grades which could be canned. 
 
 The California Marketing Act of 1937 served as the general authority for 
 canning-asparagus agreements from 1938 on. The marketing orders set up 
 under the Act provided for the inspection of all asparagus delivered to can- 
 ners, and established minimum grading requirements. Also beginning in 1938, 
 a Proration Program Committee for canning asparagus was established under 
 authority of the Agricultural Prorate Act, with authority to fix the maximum 
 seasonal pack and to set a closing date for deliveries for canning. These fea- 
 tures were used in varying detail during the following years, and it is of interest 
 that the use of controls over prices to growers has been less prevalent than the 
 use of controls over the quality of the asparagus canned. During the war years, 
 control over the quantity packed was not exercised, although control over the 
 quality of the pack was maintained. Since it is likely that canning-asparagus 
 controls will continue, the major features of the various programs are sum- 
 marized, for convenient reference, in a separate appendix. 
 
 
 The tables and figures appearing in this circular are summaries of more detailed 
 tables, which are published in a separate Statistical Supplement in mimeographed 
 form and which give the sources in detail. This supplement and a summary of 
 California Canning Asparagus Controls may be obtained by writing to the Giannini 
 
 Foundation of Agricultural Economics. 
 
 61m-10,'47(A5397)