USDA Lowers Orange Crop Numbers

WASHINGTON - Mar 10/06 - SNS -- The U.S. all orange forecast for the 2005-06 season is 9.00 million tons, down 2% from the February forecast and 1% below last season's final utilization of 9.11 million tons, tangerines and lemons, according to the latest USDA crop report.

Florida's all orange forecast, at 154 million boxes (6.93 million tons), is down 3% from the previous forecast but up 3% from the 2004-05 crop. Early, midseason, and navel varieties are forecast at 76.0 million boxes (3.42 million tons), down 5% from the previous forecast and 4% below last season's final utilization.

The Florida Valencia forecast is 78.0 million boxes (3.51 million tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but up 11% from last season's final utilization. If realized, this will be the first time that Valencia utilized production is greater than utilized production from early, midseason, and navel varieties.

The reduction in early, midseason, and navel varieties is based on estimated certifications of fruit utilization combined with projections of remaining fruit to be processed. February measurements of Valencia fruit size and drop indicate smaller projected fruit sizes than last month which are offset by a lower drop rate than was forecast last month.

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