U.S. vegetable production and value were both up in 2023, according to the USDA. For the Pacific Northwest, the data showed mixed results.

Onion production rose but values were down throughout the Northwest compared to 2022.

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Washington state’s sweet corn and green pea sales increased, while the value of the state’s pumpkin production plummeted.

For Oregon, pea sales cratered, snap beans and sweet corn dipped slightly in value and squash surged.

Onions

Onion utilized production was up 6% from the previous year in the Northwest, but the value dropped sharply due to a price down $4 per hundredweight in Oregon, $5 in Idaho and $7 in Washington.

Washington onions were valued at $384 million, down 24% from 2022. The harvest was 20.4 million cwt., up 3.9%.

Oregon onions had a total value of utilized production of $171 million, down 24%. The crop weighed in at 13.8 million cwt., up 1%.

Idaho onions were valued at $110 million, down 15% from 2022. Production increased 17% to 8.3 million cwt.

Acreage planted and area harvested increased in both Washington and Idaho, but dipped for Oregon. All three states saw yield per acre gains.

The Pacific Northwest accounts for 58% of the national utilized production for onions.

Sweet corn

Washington’s sweet corn utilized production was valued at $123 million, up 8% over the previous year. While acreage planted was unchanged, area harvested increased and yield per acre increased. Price per cwt. was down slightly.

Production rose 8% to 15.7 million cwt.

Oregon’s corn was valued at $39.5 million, down 2% as production, area planted and area harvested dipped.

The two states combine for 32% of national utilized production.

Green peas

Washington’s green peas were valued at $39.1 million, up 9% over 2022. The increase was driven by strong prices, up nearly $7 per cwt. Area planted, area harvested and yield per acre all decreased.

Oregon had a total utilized value of production of $3.8 million for green peas, down 46%.

The two states account for 39% of U.S. utilized production.

Other crops

Washington’s pumpkin value was smashed in 2023, dropping 50% to $15.9 million. The Evergreen state captured 3% of national utilized pumpkin production.

Oregon’s snap beans value dropped slightly from 2022, hitting $15.6 million. The Beaver state accounted for 6% of U.S. production.

Oregon squash jumped in value to $12.4 million, up 32% from 2022. That represented 10% of the national utilized production.

National details

U.S. vegetable and melon production for 26 estimated crops reached 758 million hundredweight, up 6% from 2022.

The utilized production totaled 754 million cwt., also up 6%.

Area harvested in 2023 was 2.33 million acres, down 3% from 2022.

The top three vegetables in the country in terms of total production were tomatoes, onions and sweet corn, which accounted for 54% of total vegetables.

The value of utilized production for 2023 vegetable crops was $19.5 billion, up less than 1% from the previous year.

Tomatoes, romaine lettuce and carrots had the most impact, combining for 34% of the utilized value of production.