Part of the difference is attributable to the inclusion of potato chips and french fries in
the US data, and their absence in the California estimates. US consumers are eating
about 0.7 servings of these potato products a day (Kantor 1998). When adjusted, US
consumption of starchy vegetables is 0.58 to 0.7 servings a day. On average,
Californians eat more fruit, but fewer vegetables, than US consumers, even when the US
data are adjusted by removing potato chips and french fries from the vegetable
estimates.
Table 2. Comparison of Results of Food Consumption Studies
|
California |
CSFII |
Food Supply | |
|
Citrus, Melon, Berry |
076 |
0.74 |
01 |
|
Other Fruit |
1.09 |
0.76 |
0.7 |
|
Total Fruit |
1.85 |
1.5 |
1.3 |
|
Dark Vegetable |
0.31 |
0.32 |
0.3 |
|
Starchy Vegetable |
0.25 |
1.28* |
1.4* |
|
Other Vegetable |
1.32 |
1.53 |
1.9 |
|
Total Vegetable |
1.88 |
3.13 |
3.6 |
|
Total |
3.73 |
4.63 |
__________4.9 |
*Includes potato chips and french fries
Agricultural industries stand to benefit significantly should consumers achieve
the recommended levels of consumption in fruits and vegetables. As the largest
producer of fruits and vegetables in the country, California would especially benefit.
The annual value of California production of 25 principal vegetables and melons
is $4.4 billion (USDA 1999a). This is 55 percent of the total value of US production of $8
billion. California’s share of US fruit production is about the same. California annual
fruit production value is $6 billion, just over 55 percent of the US value of $10.7 billion.