Net Weights and Processed Yields of Fruit and Vegetables in Common Retail Units
NET WEIGHTS AND PROCESSED YIELDS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES IN COMMON RETAIL UNITS
Common retail units, their equivalent weights, and approximate yields for canning and freezing must be tabulated for use by retail marketers. Because it is often inconvenient to package produce for direct sale to consumers who often want product in smaller quantities, the marketer has the option of pricing his produce either in small-volume containers or by selling by count when scales are unavailable or cannot be certified. The fresh fruits and vegetables listed here grown in Illinois and sold at roadside stands, farmers'markets, and pick-your-own stands.
Retail containers are perhaps the most familiar, as they are produced in common sizes for retail selling, as compared with bushels, lugs, and other containers used in the wholesale trade. Wooden baskets are usually round and come in sizes of 1/4 peck, 1/2 peck, 1 peck, 1/2 bushel and 1 bushel. Boxes, shipping cartons and hampers are usually made of corrugated paper, often waxed, ranging in size from 1/2 peck to 1 bushel. Bags are usually of paper and polyethylene, with carrying handles and range in size from 1/4 peck to 1/2 bushel. Kraft bags are used for packaging small amounts. Their estimated equivalent volumes are about equal to common sizes of paper bags:such as a grocery bag - 2/3 bushel, a No. 20 bag - 1 peck (8 quarts), a No. 10 bag - 1-3/4 gallons (7 quarts), and a No. 8 bag - 1 gallon (4 quarts).
Shallow corrugated paper trays are used on pick-your-own berry farms and hold about 6 to 8 quarts (10 to 15 pounds). Fruit and vegetable baskets are also often made of corrugated with carrying handles and range in size from 2 to 8 quarts. Fruit tills or cups are small containers made of a variety of materials, such as: pulp, cardboard, corrugated paper, plastic, or wood. Their shape varies with kind of container, and quart berry cups are familiar in most markets.
Some definitions and conversions of measurement helpful in fruit and vegetable production are as follows:
Bushel - 2,150 cubic inches, 32 quarts (dry), 64 pts. (dry)
Peck - 1/4 bushel, 8 dry quarts, 538 cubic inches
Lug - Shallow containers, usually wood, that vary in size for different crops. Used in wholesale markets
Gallon - 4 quarts, 231 cubic inches. A liquid measure.
Quart- 58 cubic inches
Kilo (gram) - 2,205 lbs.
Liter - 1,057 qts.
Following is a table of common retail fruits and vegetables, including their retail units, their net weight and their yield.
FRUITS ----------------------------------------------------------
APPLES (usually sold in volume containers of various sizes) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 42 to 48 1 peck (32 medium apples) yields 4qt. canned 1/2 bushel bag 24 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lb. fresh=1 pt. frozen peck 10 to 14 1 bushel=15 to 18 qt. canned applesauce =30 to 36 pt. frozen applesauce =16 to 20 qt. canned, or 10 to 12 qt. of juice 1 cup pared, sliced=1/4 lb.
APRICOTS Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 50 1 bushel yields 48 to 54 pt. frozen lug 24 1 lug yields 28 to 33 pt. frozen peck 12 to 14 2/3 to 4/5 lb.=1 pt. frozen 1 cup halves, pitted=1/3 lb.
BLACKBERRIES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
6-qt. t 10 to 12 gallon 5 to 6 1 cup=1/4 lb. quart 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 1-1/2 to 3 lb.=1 qt. canned
BLUEBERRIES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
6-qt. tray 10 to 12 1 cup=1/3 lb. gallon 5 to 6 2-1/4 to 3 lb.=1 qt. canned quart 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 1 pt. fresh=1 qt. frozen pint 3/4 to 2
CHERRIES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
lug 15 to 16 2 to 2-1/2 lb.=1 qt. canned, unpitted quart 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 1 pt.=1pt. frozen, unpitted pint 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 1 cup=1/3 lb.
GOOSEBERRIES Retail Unit Net Weight
quart 1-3/4 to 2
GRAPES (with stems) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 44 to 50 1 bushel yields 16 qt. of juice lug 24 to 28 1 cup (whole, stemmed)=1/3 lb. 2-qt. basket 2-1/2 to 3
PEACHES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 48 to 52 1 bushel yields 16 qt. canned 1/2-bushel 24 2 to 2-1/2 1b.=1 qt. canned lug 19 to 22 1 to 1-1/2 lb.=1 pt. frozen peck 12 to 14 1 cup=2/5 lb.
PEARS Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 48 to 50 1 bushel yields 20 to 25 qt. canned lug 21 to 24 1 to 1-1/2 lb.=1 pt. frozen peck 12 to 14 2 to 2-1/2 lb.=1 qt. canned 1 cup pared, sliced=2/5 lb.
PLUMS Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 50 to 56 1 bushel yields 24 to 30 qt. canned peck 13 to 15 2 to 2-1/2 lb.-1 qt. canned 1 cup halves=1/3 lb.
RASPBERRIES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
6-qt tray 8 to 10 1 cup=1/3 lb. 3-qt tray quart 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pint 3/4
STRAWBERRIES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
quart 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 1 lb.=1 pt. frozen 4-qt basket 6 6-qt basket 10 to 12 8-qt basket 12 to 15 8-qt flat 12 4-qt crate 36
VEGETABLES
ASPARAGUS (often sold in bunches weighing 1-1/2 to 2 lb. each) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 45 1 to 1-1/2 lb. yield 1 pt. frozen pyramid crate 32 3 to 4 lb. yield 1 qt. canned
BEANS, Lima Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 32 1 bu. yields 12 to 16 pt. frozen peck 8 3 to 5 lb.= qt. canned
BEANS, Snap Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 28 to 30 1 bu. yields 30 to 45 pt. frozen peck 8 to 9 3 to 5 lb.=qt. canned
BEETS Retail Unit Net Weight Yield (often sold in 2 lb. bunches with leaves)
bushel, topped 50 to 56 1 bu. yields 10 to 12 qt. frozen 2 to 3-1/2 lb.=1 qt. canned
BROCCOLI (usually sold by the haed or bunch weighing 1 to 1-1/2 lb.) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 23 to 25 1 bu. yields 10 to 12 qt. canned 1 lb.=1 pt. frozen
BRUSSELS SPROUTS Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
quart 1-1/2 1 qt. yields 1-1/2 pt. frozen
CABBAGE (often sold by the head, varying in size with variety and tightness of head, usually 2 to 6 lb.) Retail Unit Yield
crate or mesh bag 50 3 lb.=1 qt. canned sauerkraut freezer slaw=1 lb.=2 cups cooked, or 1 lb.=4 cups shredded
CARROTS (often sold in 1 lb. bunch with tops) Retail Unit Yield
bushel, topped 50 1 bu. yields 32 to 40 pt. frozen 2 to 3 lb.=1 qt. canned
CAULIFLOWER (usually sold as 1 to 1-1/2 lb. heads) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
carton of 12 to 16 trimmed 18 to 24 2 med. heads=3 pt. frozen, or 1-1/2 qt. canned
CORN Sweet (usually sold by 1 dozen count, which weigh 6 to 8 lb. in husk) Retail Unit Yield
5 doz. bag or wire-bound crate 35 to 40 60 ears yield 14 to 17 pt. frozen 1 doz. ears yield 1 to 1-1/2 pt canned
CUCUMBERS (sometimes sold by count) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 48 to 50 1 bu. yields 24 qt of dill pickles peck 12 to 13
EGGPLANT (usually sold by count, 1 to 1-1/2 lb. each) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 33 to 35 2 average=1 qt. canned, or 2 pt frozen
KALE (also sold in 1 to 1-1/2 bunches) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 18 1 bu. yields 6 to 9 qt canned, 12 to 18 pt. frozen
GREENS (Mustard, Spinach, and Turnip often sold in 1 to 1-1/2 lb. bunches or bags) Retail Unit Net Weight
bushel 48
OKRA Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 26 1 bu. yields 17 qt. canned, 34 to 40 pt. frozen
ONIONS Retail Unit Net Weight
bunch, green 48 bunches 15 to 18
ONIONS Retail Unit Net Weight
dry, sack 50
PEAS (Green, unshelled) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 28 to 30 1 bu. yields 12 to 15 pt frozen peck 7 to 8 3 to 6 lb.=1 qt canned
PEAS, Edible pod peck Retail Unit Net Weight
quart 1 to 1-1/2
PEPPERS, Green (often sold by count) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 25 to 30 2/3 lb.=1 pt. frozen large peppers, 80-85 per bu.; small peppers, 110 per bu.
POTATOES Retail Unit Net Weight
new No. 10 bag 10
PUMPKINS (usually sold by count) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
pie pumpkins 5 to 15 2 to 3 lb.=1 qt. canned (as cubes) jack o'lantern 15 to 40
RADISHES (usually sold in bunches of 1/2 to 3/4 lb.)
RHUBARB Retail Unit Net Weight
bunch 2 to 2-1/2 1 lb. cooked=3/4 cup
SQUASH summer (zucchini, crookneck, Patty Pan, etc.) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 40 to 44 1 bu. yields 32 to 40 pt frozen 8 qt. basket 10 2 to 4 lb=1 qt. canned
SQUASH winter (usually sold by count and may be graded by size) Net Weight 3 lb.=2 pt. frozen 2-1/2 to 3 lb.=1 qt canned Small (such as Acorn, Butternut, Buttercup) Net Weight 1 to 4 Intermediate (such as Delicious, Golden Hubbard, Banana) Net Weight 6 to 12 Large (such as Blue Hubbard, Jumbo Banana) Net Weight 15 to 40
SWEET POTATO Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 50 2/3 lb.=1 pt. frozen peck 12 to 13 2 to 3 lb.=1 qt. canned
TOMATOES Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
bushel 50 to 60 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 lb.=1 qt. canned 8 quarts or 1 bu. yields 15 to 20 qt. peck basket 12 to 15 canned
TURNIPS & RUTABAGA (without tops) Retail Unit Net Weight Yield
mesh bags or bushel 50 to 56 1 lb.=2-2/3 cups diced peck 12 to 15
SOURCE
"Net Weights and Processed Yields of Fruits and Vegetables in Common Retail Units" by C. M. Sabota and J.W. Courter Department of Horticulture, University of Illinois at Urbana -Champagne, College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service
