USDA Inches Orange Crop Forecast Up

WASHINGTON - Apr 9/08 - SNS -- The U.S. all orange forecast for the 2007-08 season is 10.1 million tons, up 1% from the March 1 forecast and 33% higher than the 2006-07 final utilization of 7.63 million tons, according to the USDA's latest crop production estimates.

Florida's all orange forecast, at 169 million boxes (7.58 million tons), is up 1% from the previous forecast and 31% higher than last season's final utilization of 129 million boxes. Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 83.5 million boxes (3.76 million tons), up 2% from the March 1 forecast and 27% above last season.

Weekly harvest of the early, midseason, and navel varieties has declined sharply, indicating harvest is near completion. Florida's Valencia forecast, at 85.0 million boxes (3.83 million tons), is unchanged from the last forecast but 34% higher than 2006-07. The monthly row count survey indicated that only 12% of the Valencia orange rows had been harvested. All orange varieties experienced a heavy bloom in March and trees were in excellent condition.

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