The approach taken to estimate monthly marketing by crop and production area in

Florida was to first assume that marketing patterns for peppers and eggplant are similar to those

for tomatoes. For watermelons, both southwest and west central Florida provide the vast

majority of watermelons marketed in May. The production areas in north central Florida

typically do not begin harvesting until June. Thus all watermelons from southwest and west

central Florida are assumed to be marketed in May.

 Determination of the monthly distribution of marketing for squash and cucumbers by

production area was more problematic. In the case of squash, Dade county is the largest

producing region in Florida. It was assumed that Dade county is the sole supplier of squash in

Florida through the months of December, January, and February. Both southwest and west

central Florida market in November, March, and April, with most of the production from west

central Florida marketed in April and May. In the model, cucumbers could be produced in Palm

Beach county as a double crop following tomatoes or peppers, and in southwest Florida as a

single crop or as a double crop following tomatoes or peppers. Similar cropping systems for

cucumbers were also defined for west central Florida. Given climatic considerations, single crop

cucumbers from southwest Florida are marketed in November, December, and January, while

single crop cucumbers from west central Florida are marketed in November and December. All

double crop cucumbers are marketed in the spring.

 As Florida and California are the primary suppliers to the winter strawberry market,

monthly marketing from each state were easily estimated. Florida is an important supplier in

the December through March period. By April, California market share exceeds 80 percent.

Thus the four months in which Florida is a significant supplier are included in the model.


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