Acreage estimates for fall vegetables including broccoli cauliflower, head lettuce and celery predict plantings for the majority of fall crops similar to last season, with the exception of celery, which could be down about 6 percent from 2004 and 2005.

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service on Oct. 11 predicted California’s planted area for fall-harvested broccoli would be 29,000 acres, down 2 percent from recent years. Cauliflower acreage may be up by a similar margin over last year at an expected 8,900 acres.

California’s fall acreage for celery is forecast down 6 percent at 6,400 acres, likely as a result of hot July weather that negatively impacted September production. Lettuce growers expect to harvest 30,000 acres this fall, down 3 percent from 2005.