BRIEF

Aug 7, 2009      The San Diego Union-Tribune

Leslie Berestein

Aug. 7, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Despite drought conditions and the recession, San Diego County growers are reporting a record-breaking year for 2008, with crops valued at more than $1.5 billion. This represents a 1 percent increase over the previous record, which was set in 2007.

The increase is due mainly to an increase in value for a few key crops, according to a county report released yesterday. Crops that increased in value include bedding plants, avocados, eggs, cut flowers, foliage and herbs, which became one of the county's top 10 crops for the first time in 2008.

Indoor flowering and foliage plants continue to be the county's top crop, valued at more than $319 million, a drop of 1 percent from 2007. This is followed by ornamental trees and shrubs, bedding plants, avocados and tomatoes. Eggs, cut flowers and foliage, poinsettia, valencia oranges and herbs also rank in the top 10.

Crop values in the county rose in 2007 after a two-year decline in 2005 and 2006, mostly due to a decline in avocado prices.

San Diego County has the nation's 16th-largest agricultural economy and is home to almost 7,000 farms, more farms than any other county in the nation, county officials said.

Leslie Berestein: (619) 542-4579;

Newstex ID: KRTB-0180-37052577

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