USDA Boosts Orange Estimate 2%

WASHINGTON - Mar 9/16 - SNS -- The United States all orange forecast for the 2015-2016 season is 5.36 million tons, up 2% from the previous forecast but down 16% from the 2014-2015 final utilization, according to the USDA.

The Florida all orange forecast, at 71.0 million boxes (3.20 million tons), is up 3% from last month's forecast but down 27% from last season's final utilization.

Early, midseason, and Navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 36.0 million boxes (1.62 million tons), unchanged from last month but down 24% from last season's final utilization. The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 35.0 million boxes (1.58 million tons), is up 6% from last month but down 29% from last season's final utilization.

The California Valencia orange forecast is 10.5 million boxes (420,000 tons), up 5% from previous forecast and up 11% from the previous season. This results in a California all orange forecast of 52.5 million boxes (2.10 million tons), up 1% from the previous forecast. Objective survey measurements taken during January and February indicated that fruit set per tree was higher than the previous year and the most since 2010, but the measured average fruit size was slightly below the previous year. The forecast for Texas is carried forward from the previous forecast.