AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF CABBAGE Executive Summary Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) is regarded as the most important member of the Cruciferae or mustard family, and has remained one of the world's leading vegetable crops. In 1992, the United States was the world's sixth-largest producer of cabbage, accounting for nearly 4 percent of total production, following the former USSR, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and India, respectively. Although botanically classified as a biennial crop, cabbage is grown mostly as an annual crop throughout the United States. It is the most easily grown of the cole crops (which include broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower) because it can be planted under a wide variety of conditions. As a native of the temperate zone, however, it thrives best in cool, moist climates. Cabbage is grown throughout the United States. The five leading states in fresh-market production are New York, Texas, California, Florida, and Georgia, accounting for 75 percent of total production. These five states produced 19,193,000 cwt of fresh-market cabbage in 1994, with a total value of $183.2 million (77 percent of the U.S. total value). In terms of value of output, the top three states, in order of their ranking, are California, New York, and Texas. Cabbage is generally classified as head cabbage and Chinese cabbage. Head cabbage represents over 90 percent of commercial U.S. cabbage production. Depending on the variety, head cabbage produces round, oval, or flat heads that vary widely in size and weight. Chinese cabbage heads, on the other hand, are oval and flat, more loosely formed, and lighter in weight. Some head cabbage varieties are sold for fresh use, while others are primarily processed into sauerkraut (kraut). Also, some head cabbage varieties are called storage cabbage because they can keep for up to five to six months. A small proportion of head cabbage is classified as red cabbage, which is sold as fresh heads or shredded and packed with other leafy greens as a salad mix. Chinese cabbage is sold mainly fresh for use in stir fries and other dishes. Most commercial cabbage in the South (particularly Texas and Florida) and in California is planted in the fall and winter for winter and spring shipment. Plants for the early crop in the North are transplanted to the field as soon as hard freezes are over, while late cabbage is set out in the latter half of June and in July. Hybrid and open-pollinated varieties are available. Hybrid varieties are generally more expensive, but most growers prefer them over open-pollinated varieties. Hybrid varieties tend to have higher yields, improved seedling vigor, better color, and a longer shelf life. They also mature earlier and more uniformly. Uniform maturity reduces the number of harvests required during a season, with a majority of the heads cut during the first harvest. Because of the cabbage plant's extensive and shallow root system, a successful cabbage crop requires abundant moisture throughout development. Cabbage plants normally require about 20-30 inches of water during the season. Frequent, light irrigation, particularly for summer-seeded crops, may be necessary to maintain favorable conditions for development. Heavy irrigation is required from head formation until harvest-time. Nationally, drought is a major threat to cabbage production. As of the 1992 Census, only 37 percent of the farms growing cabbage had irrigation. These farms accounted for 56 percent of cabbage harvested area. Among the major cabbage-producing states, New York and Wisconsin had less than 50 percent of both their farms and harvested acreage under irrigation. Different cabbage varieties require varying lengths of time to reach maturity. Generally, most transplanted cabbage varieties mature in 70 to 120 days, while direct seeded cabbage matures in 90 to 140 days. Cabbage is usually harvested when 50 to 60 percent of the heads are firm. A cabbage field is generally harvested 2-4 times in a season. With most hybrids, 60 to 70 percent of the heads are cut during the first harvest, as they mature fairly uniformly. Fresh-market cabbage is sold mostly to brokers, supermarket warehouses, or central markets in large cities. Some cabbage is also sold directly to retail food chains, including fast food restaurants. Some large buyers seek the services of local agents or brokers to facilitate trading activities. The top three cabbage markets are Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston. Cabbage growers, particularly in the southern, northeastern, and North Central states, are often confronted by crop losses due to weather, pests, and diseases. Excessive rain and drought are the major production perils in these areas. Many pest and disease problems, although usually controllable through proper crop management, are promoted by very wet or very dry conditions. Cabbage growers in California confront far fewer natural perils. Ad hoc disaster assistance payments totalled $26.1 million over the 1988-93 period. These payments can be used to indicate which cabbage-producing areas received large payments relative to their acreage. New York, Texas, and Georgia were major cabbage- producing states whose shares of total disaster payments were somewhat larger than their estimated shares of U.S. harvested cabbage acreage between 1988 and 1993. In contrast, California and Florida accounted for a small share of payments relative to their respective acreage. The demand for cabbage insurance will probably be strong, particularly among growers in the southern, northeastern, and North Central regions. These areas have collected about the same proportion of total U.S. disaster assistance payments for cabbage between 1988 and 1993. Several contacts indicated that growers in these areas would likely be interested in a cabbage policy due to the reduced likelihood of individually-based ad hoc disaster assistance. Cabbage producers from the western United States, particularly in California, will probably have less of an interest in crop insurance. Disaster payments for cabbage losses in California accounted for a relatively small proportion (less than 1 percent) of the nation's total payments for cabbage, even though California accounted for about 12 percent of U.S. average harvested acreage between 1988 and 1993.