Reduced U.S. Citrus Harvest
WASHINGTON - Mar 8/13 - SNS -- Citrus fruit production in the United States will be down this year on account of a smaller orange and grpaefruit harvest, according to the USDA's latest crop report.
This season's orange crop was revised lower by 1% from the previous croip report, with the result total output is now forecast down 4% from last year at 8.68 million tons.
The 2012-2013 United States grapefruit crop is forecast at 1.09 million tons, down 4% from the February forecast and down 7% from last season's final utilization. In Florida, droppage for both white and colored grapefruit is expected to be the highest of any season not affected by a freeze or hurricane.
The average size is expected to be the smallest since the 1968-1969 season. The row count survey conducted February 26-27 in Florida indicated that 30% of the white grapefruit and 50% of the colored grapefruit had been harvested. California and Texas grapefruit production forecasts are carried forward from the January 1 forecast.
Florida's tangelo forecast is 1.00 million boxes (45,000 tons), unchanged from the February forecast but down 13% from last season's final utilization. Florida's row count survey conducted February 26-27 showed 99% of the rows were harvested.
The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 656,000 tons, unchanged from the February forecast but up 1% from last season's final utilization. In Florida, sizes for all varieties of tangerines are expected to be below average with above average droppage. Arizona and California estimates are carried forward from the January 1 forecast.
Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2011-2012 and Forecasted
March 1, 2013
[The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with the completion of harvest the
following year]
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: Utilized production boxes 1/ : Utilized production ton equivalent
Crop and State :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: 2011-2012 : 2012-2013 : 2011-2012 : 2012-2013
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ------- 1,000 boxes ------- ------- 1,000 tons ------
Oranges :
Early, mid, and Navel 2/ :
California 3/ ..............: 45,500 46,500 1,820 1,860
Florida ....................: 74,200 67,000 3,339 3,015
Texas 3/ ...................: 1,108 1,220 47 52
:
United States ..............: 120,808 114,720 5,206 4,927
:
Valencia :
California .................: 13,500 12,500 540 500
Florida ....................: 72,400 72,000 3,258 3,240
Texas 3/ ...................: 311 286 13 12
:
United States ..............: 86,211 84,786 3,811 3,752
:
All :
California .................: 59,000 59,000 2,360 2,360
Florida ....................: 146,600 139,000 6,597 6,255
Texas 3/ ...................: 1,419 1,506 60 64
:
United States ..............: 207,019 199,506 9,017 8,679
:
Grapefruit :
White :
Florida ....................: 5,350 4,500 228 191
:
Colored :
Florida ....................: 13,500 12,500 574 531
:
All :
California 3/ ..............: 4,400 4,000 176 160
Florida ....................: 18,850 17,000 802 722
Texas 3/ ...................: 4,800 5,280 192 211
:
United States ..............: 28,050 26,280 1,170 1,093
:
Tangerines and mandarins :
Arizona 3/ 4/ ................: 200 200 8 8
California 3/ 4/ .............: 10,900 11,800 436 472
Florida ......................: 4,290 3,700 204 176
:
United States ................: 15,390 15,700 648 656
:
Lemons 3/ :
Arizona ......................: 750 1,800 30 72
California ...................: 20,500 20,500 820 820
:
United States ................: 21,250 22,300 850 892
:
Tangelos :
Florida ......................: 1,150 1,000 52 45
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1/ Net pounds per box: oranges in California-80, Florida-90, Texas-85; grapefruit in California-80,
Florida-85, Texas-80; tangerines and mandarins in Arizona and California-80, Florida-95; lemons-80;
tangelos-90.
2/ Navel and miscellaneous varieties in California. Early (including Navel) and midseason varieties in Florida
and Texas. Small quantities of tangerines in Texas and Temples in Florida.
3/ Estimates for current year carried forward from previous forecast.
4/ Includes tangelos and tangors.
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