Source:
http://www.agweb.com/get_article.aspx?pageid=141718

USDA Crop Production: Citrus Highlights
3/11/2008

AgWeb.com Editors

All Orange Production Up 1 Percent From February

The U.S. all orange forecast for the 2007-08 season is 10.0 million tons, up 1 percent from the February 1 forecast and 32 percent higher than the 2006-07 final utilization of 7.59 million tons. Florida's all orange forecast, at 167 million boxes (7.52 million tons), is up 1 percent from the previous forecast and 29 percent higher than last season's final utilization of 129 million boxes.

Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 82.0 million boxes (3.69 million tons), up 1 percent from February 1 and 25 percent above last season. Florida's Valencia forecast, at 85.0 million boxes (3.83 million tons), is unchanged from the last forecast but 34 percent higher than 2006-07. Average fruit size for Valencia oranges remains small and is still expected to be smaller at harvest than any of the last eight non-hurricane seasons. Although the drop rate increased over the past month, it remained below average.

The California Valencia forecast is 16.0 million boxes (600,000 tons), up 7 percent from the previous forecast and 45 percent above 2006-07. This brings California's all orange forecast to 64.0 million boxes, up 2 percent from the January 1 forecast and 42 percent higher than last season. Harvest of Valencia oranges has begun and the crop looks good.

The average fruit set per tree is higher than most years, while the fruit size is smaller than average. Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield forecast for the 2007-08 season is 1.63 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, up from 1.62 last month, but down from last season's final yield of 1.65 gallons per box. The early-mid portion remains at 1.53 gallons per box, 2 percent below last season's final of 1.56 gallons per box. The Valencia portion increased to 1.73 gallons per box, 2 percent lower than last season's final of 1.77 gallons per box. All yield projections include the assumption that the processing relationships this season will be similar to those of the past several seasons.

Here's a link to the full report.
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/MannUsda/viewDocumentInfo.do?documentID=1046

Orange crop estimate increases slightly
South Florida Business Journal


The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a revised citrus forecast of 167 million boxes for Florida's 2007-2008 orange crop estimate.

The previous forecast estimated the orange crop at 166 million boxes.

Michael W. Sparks, executive vice president/chief executive officer of Lakeland-based Florida Citrus Mutual, said the 167 million-box forecast means "we can rebuild juice inventories and get solid prices for growers, which is important to offset increased production costs related to pest and disease, as well as the sharp spike in energy prices."

In a release, the USDA says the 1 million-box increase consists entirely of early and midseason varieties. The 167 million boxes include 79 million boxes of Early-Mids, 3 million boxes of Navels and 85 million boxes of Valencias.

A 167 million-box orange crop would represent about a 30 percent increase from the 2006-2007 season, the USDA said.

The Florida grapefruit and tangerine estimates, meanwhile, remained unchanged, at 24.5 million boxes and 4.8 million boxes, respectively. The tangelo estimate increased from 1.3 million boxes to 1.5 million boxes.

Source:
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/03/10/daily14.html

Citrus production up a bit in Florida

By Doug Ohlemeier

(March 11, 3:20 p.m.) Florida’s citrus production has increased slightly.

A March 11 U.S. Department of Agriculture citrus production forecast increased production of early, midseason and navel oranges by 2 million equivalent boxes. Florida is expected to produce 82 million boxes of those varieties, which were winding down harvesting in mid-March. About 7% of early, midseason and navels normally ship fresh.

Florida in 2006-07 harvested 65.6 million cartons of early, midseason and navels, according to the USDA.

Production of valencias, which began harvesting in early March, remains unchanged. The state is expected to pick 85 million boxes of valencias, up from 63.4 million boxes last season.

Grapefruit production is also unchanged at 24.5 million boxes — 10% less than last season’s 27.2 million boxes.

The USDA bumped production of tangelos by 200,000 cartons from 1.3 million boxes to 1.5 million boxes. Tangelo production, the USDA reported, is 93% complete.

The state is seeing smaller-sized fruit.

Valencia fruit sizes remain slightly below the monthly minimums of the past eight non-hurricane seasons, the USDA reported. About 3% of valencias ship to fresh channels.

For grapefruit, average fruit sizes on the more popular colored varieties in January and February is the smallest since 1968. Average volume for the white varieties is the smallest on record for February, the USDA reported.

Statewide, growers have picked just over half of the grapefruit crop. Although southern Florida grapefruit production is 77% picked, 48% of the grapefruit grown in the Indian River region — the state’s primary grapefruit growing region — has been harvested.

The state is forecast to harvest 4.8 million boxes of tangerines, a little higher than last season’s 4.6 million cartons.

Source:
http://thepacker.com/icms/_dtaa2/content/wrapper.asp?alink=2008-151840-851.asp&stype=topnews&fb=