The collapse of a major flower grower and heavy spring rains drove down the value of San Mateo County's crops in 2011, the fourth straight year of overall decline, according to the county's annual crop report.
Floral and nursery crops, which account for more than three-quarters of the county's agricultural value, saw the most significant plunge at 6.6 percent, while the overall drop was 4.7 percent. Other areas saw improvement, however, particularly Brussels sprouts, local production of which has surged in recent years.
The total gross value of the county's agriculture — everything from artichokes and honey to timber and hogs — was $137 million in 2011, according to the report approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. That's down from a 10-year high of more than $180 million in 2002.
The May 2011 bankruptcy of Nurserymen's Exchange, a major Coastside employer that had posted revenue of $62.7 million in 2010, was a major factor in the drop in value among indoor crops such as shrubs, hydrangeas and tulips. Fruit and nut crops, including wine grapes and strawberries, were down 27 percent.
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