STAT Communications Ag Market News

Smaller U.S. Citrus Crop

WASHINGTON - Jul 10/20 - SNS -- Citrus fruit production in the United States will down over last year, according to the USDA's latest crop production estimates.

The United States all orange forecast for the 2019-2020 season is 5.14 million tons, up 1% from the previous forecast but down 5% from the 2018-2019 final utilization.

The United States 2019-2020 grapefruit crop is forecast at 535,000 tons, down 13% from the previous forecast and down 11% from last season's final utilization. In Florida, expected production, at 4.85 million boxes (207,000 tons), is down 1% from the previous forecast but up 8% from last year. In California and Texas, production forecasts are down from the previous forecast.

The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 888,000 tons, down 8% from the previous forecast and down 20% from last season's final utilization. The California tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 21.0 million boxes (840,000 tons), is down 9% from the previous forecast and down 21% from last year's total boxes.

The 2019-2020 United States lemon crop is forecast at 916,000 tons, unchanged from the previous forecast but down 9% from last season's final utilization. The California production forecast, at 21.0 million boxes (840,000 tons), is unchanged from previous forecast but down 11% from the 2018-2019 season total.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2018-2019 and
Forecasted July 1, 2020
[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       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2018-2019    :    2019-2020    :    2018-2019    :    2019-2020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes ------            ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all ............:      51,400            51,000            2,056             2,040
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      42,000            42,000            1,680             1,680
 Valencia ..................:       9,400             9,000              376               360
                            :
Florida, all ...............:      71,850            67,650            3,233             3,044
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      30,400            29,650            1,368             1,334
 Valencia ..................:      41,450            38,000            1,865             1,710
                            :
Texas, all .................:       2,500             1,340              106                57
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:       2,210             1,150               94                49
 Valencia ..................:         290               190               12                 8
                            :
United States, all .........:     125,750           119,990            5,395             5,141
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      74,610            72,800            3,142             3,063
 Valencia ..................:      51,140            47,190            2,253             2,078
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California .................:       4,100             3,800              164               152
Florida, all ...............:       4,510             4,850              192               207
 Red .......................:       3,740             4,060              159               173
 White .....................:         770               790               33                34
Texas ......................:       6,100             4,400              244               176
                            :
United States ..............:      14,710            13,050              600               535
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 3/ :
California .................:      26,500            21,000            1,060               840
Florida ....................:         990             1,020               47                48
                            :
United States ..............:      27,490            22,020            1,107               888
                            :
Lemons                      :
Arizona ....................:       1,350             1,900               54                76
California .................:      23,700            21,000              948               840
                            :
United States ..............:      25,050            22,900            1,002               916
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 California-80, Florida-95; lemons-80.
2/ Navel and miscellaneous varieties in California. Early (including Navel) and midseason varieties
   in Florida and Texas.
3/ Includes tangelos and tangors.

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