Little Change in Orange Forecast

WASHINGTON - May 11/07 - SNS -- The USDA left this season's orange production forecast little changed 7.36 million tons in its latest crop forecast, though the crop is down 18% from last season's final utilization of 9.00 million tons.

Florida's all orange forecast, at 131 million boxes (5.88 million tons), is virtually unchanged from last month but 12% lower than the utilization from the 2005-06 season's crop.

Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 65.6 million boxes (2.95 million tons), down 13% from last season's final utilization. Harvest of the early, midseason, and Navel varieties is complete. The forecast is reduced slightly from last month based on current utilization data.

Florida's Valencia forecast is 65.0 million boxes (2.93 million tons), unchanged from the April forecast but down 11% from last season's final utilization. The row count survey conducted May 2-3 showed that 60% of Valencia rows had been harvested. Arizona, California, and Texas orange production forecasts are carried forward from April 1.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here