Modest Gains in Citrus Output
WASHINGTON - Jul 12/16 - SNS -- Citrus fruit production in the United States is up slightly from earlier forecasts as gains in oranges offset losses in grapefruit, according to the latest USDA crop production estimate.
The United States all orange forecast for the 2015-2016 season is 5.92 million tons, up 2% from the previous forecast but down 7% from the 2014-2015 final utilization.
The United States 2015-2016 grapefruit crop is forecast at 810,000 tons, down 2% from last month's forecast and down 9% from last season's final utilization. In Florida, expected production, at 10.9 million boxes, is unchanged from last month but down 16% from last year. Texas grapefruit production is down 7% from the previous forecast but California's production is unchanged.
The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 948,000 tons, unchanged from last month but up 11% from last season's final utilization. If realized, this will be the largest production since records began in 1964-1965. The California and Florida forecasts are unchanged from the previous month. Beginning in 2015-2016 tangerine and mandarin estimates were discontinued for Arizona.
The forecast for the 2015-2016 United States lemon crop is 934,000 tons, up 4% from the previous forecast and up 3% from last season's final utilization. California's production is up from last season, while Arizona's production is down from 2014-2015.
Florida's tangelo forecast is 390,000 boxes (18,000 tons), unchanged from last month but down 41% from last season's final utilization. The production is the lowest since the 1958-1959 season.
Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2014-2015 and
Forecasted July 1, 2016
[The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with the completion of harvest the
following year]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Utilized production boxes 1/ : Utilized production ton equivalent
Crop and State :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: 2014-2015 : 2015-2016 : 2014-2015 : 2015-2016
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ------- 1,000 boxes ------- ------- 1,000 tons ------
Oranges :
California, all ..............: 48,600 54,500 1,944 2,180
Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 39,100 44,000 1,564 1,760
Valencia ....................: 9,500 10,500 380 420
:
Florida, all .................: 96,950 81,500 4,363 3,668
Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 47,400 36,100 2,133 1,625
Valencia ....................: 49,550 45,400 2,230 2,043
:
Texas, all ...................: 1,452 1,695 62 72
Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 1,170 1,355 50 58
Valencia ....................: 282 340 12 14
:
United States, all ...........: 147,002 137,695 6,369 5,920
Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 87,670 81,455 3,747 3,443
Valencia ....................: 59,332 56,240 2,622 2,477
:
Grapefruit :
California ...................: 4,300 3,900 172 156
Florida, all .................: 12,900 10,850 548 461
Red .........................: 9,650 8,350 410 355
White .......................: 3,250 2,500 138 106
Texas ........................: 4,250 4,830 170 193
:
United States ................: 21,450 19,580 890 810
:
Tangerines and mandarins :
Arizona 3/ 4/ ................: 170 (NA) 7 (NA)
California 3/ ................: 18,500 22,000 740 880
Florida ......................: 2,265 1,430 108 68
:
United States ................: 20,935 23,430 855 948
:
Lemons :
Arizona ......................: 2,000 1,550 80 62
California ...................: 20,600 21,800 824 872
:
United States ................: 22,600 23,350 904 934
:
Tangelos :
Florida ......................: 665 390 30 18
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(NA) Not available.
(X) Not applicable.
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 Temples in Florida.
3/ Includes tangelos and tangors.
4/ Estimates discontinued in 2015-2016.
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