Little Change in Orange Crop Forecast

WASHINGTON - Apr 10/06 - SNS -- The USDA left this season's orange forecast virtually unchanged at 8.96 million tons in its latest crop report, which is down about 3% from last season,

Florida's all orange forecast, at 153 million boxes (6.89 million tons), is down 1% from the previous forecast but 2% above the revised 2004-05 utilization. Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 75.0 million boxes (3.38 million tons), down 1% from last month and 5% below the previous season.

Harvest of the early and midseason varieties is almost complete with the row count survey conducted March 29-30 showing very few unharvested rows remaining. Navel harvest is complete.

Florida's Valencia forecast is 78.0 million boxes (3.51 million tons), unchanged from the March forecast but 10% above last season's revised final utilization. If realized, this will be the first season that Florida Valencia orange production exceeds that of the early, midseason, and navel varieties.

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