Florida Orange Crop Estimate Still Sliding

ACPS grove in Florida

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For the fifth consecutive month, USDA has lowered its estimate of the 2012-2013 Florida orange crop. The latest figures dropped the estimate by 1 million to 138 million boxes of total output.
 
The Valencia variety accounted for the decline going from 72 million boxes in March to 71 million this month. Early-mid varieties remained at 67 million boxes.

USDA’s initial orange estimate for the season was 154 million boxes. During the 2011-2012 season, Florida produced 146.6 million boxes of oranges.

“This is not unexpected,” said Michael W. Sparks, executive VP/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. “We have experienced unprecedented fruit drop as a result of dry weather and severe disease challenges from HLB. Those factors have contributed to the current situation.”
  
The 2012-2013 Florida grapefruit estimate held at 17 million boxes. Tangerines decreased to 3.5 million boxes while tangelos stayed at 1 million boxes. The yield for from concentrate orange juice remained at 1.61 gallons per 90-pound box.

To view the complete USDA estimate, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Florida/Publications/Citrus/cit/2012-13/cit0413.pdf.

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