Florida Citrus Forecast Takes Another Fall
Latest tally from USDA marks third consecutive downward estimate.
-
Fruit drop has been a big problem for Florida citrus growers during the 2012-2013 season.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Gene Albrigo, UF/IFAS
Image of
The latest Florida all orange forecast, at 141 million boxes, is down 1% from the January forecast and down 4% from last season's final count.
Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 66 million boxes, which is unchanged from the January forecast but down 11% from last season.
Fruit droppage is the highest since the 1969-1970 season, while size is below average. This season's epic fruit drop was the main topic of conversation at the recent Florida Citrus Show.
At 75 million boxes, the Valencia orange forecast is down 1% from last month's estimate but up 4% from the 2011-2012 crop.
The forecast of all grapefruit production is unchanged at 18 million boxes.
Final fruit sizes for both white and colored grapefruit are the smallest in a series that began with the 1968-1969 season. Final droppage rates for both white and colored grapefruit are the highest in any season not affected by a freeze or hurricane.
The forecast of all tangerine production was lowered 100,000 boxes to 3.7 million boxes. The early tangerine forecast (Fallglo and Sunburst) is unchanged at 2 million boxes. Early tangerine harvest is complete for this season. The forecast of the later-maturing Honey variety was reduced to 1.7 million boxes.
The forecast of tangelo production was lowered 100,000 boxes to 1 million boxes.
Florida frozen concentrated orange juice yield forecast for the 2012-2013 season is 1.62 gallons per box, up 1% from the January forecast.
Click here for the detailed USDA estimate.
Source: USDA-NASS
