A damaging freeze in January 2006 helped strawberry production in California last year grow by nearly 7 million trays, each equivalent to 10 pounds of strawberries, the California Strawberry Commission said Monday. In 2007, a record 146 million trays of strawberries were produced throughout the state, an increase from 139 million trays in 2006, said Peggy Dillon, spokeswoman for the California Strawberry Commission.

Bob Roach, assistant agricultural commissioner for Monterey County, said despite a slow start to the 2007 season, strawberry production boomed at the end of the year. "They had a strong finish, and I attribute that mostly to good growing conditions in the latter part of the season," Roach said. Dillon said last year's winter freeze actually boosted the final numbers in 2007. Although the temperatures damaged strawberry crops initially, she said, it led to stronger root systems and more productive plants in the spring.

Introduction of a new, hardier strawberry variety, Albion, also contributed to stronger production, Dillon said. She said the commission has no predictions for the 2008 strawberry crop. "Everything is weather dependent," Dillon said. California, which grows strawberries year-round, is the nation's leading producer of the crop. Most of the state's strawberries are grown in Monterey County, and Roach said the harvest usually starts in May. Overall, statewide acreage for strawberries planted last fall increased 3 percent, according to the Strawberry Commission, but Watsonville and Salinas planted only 12,773 acres, a decrease of 3 percent. Total state acreage grew from 32,637 in 2005 to 34,556 last year.