In 2018, the Nation’s production for the 26 estimated vegetable and melon crops totaled 753 million cwt, 1 percent below the final 754 million cwt estimated in 2017. The utilized production totaled 747 million cwt, 1 percent below 2017.
Area harvested in 2018 was 2.50 million acres, a 3 percent reduction from the previous year. In 2018, the top three vegetables, in terms of area harvested, were sweet corn, tomatoes, and snap beans. In terms of total production, the three largest crops were tomatoes, sweet corn, and onions, which combined accounted for 56 percent of the all vegetables total.
The value of utilized production for 2018 vegetable crops was $12.9 billion, down 12 percent from the previous year. Tomatoes, head lettuce, and romaine lettuce claimed the highest values, accounting for 31 percent of the total value of production when combined. For the 26 selected vegetables and melons estimated in 2018, California continued to be the leading State in terms of area harvested, utilized production, and value of production.