Smaller Citrus Harvest

WASHINGTON - Nov 9/17 - SNS -- Citrus production in the United States will be amller than initially expected, according to the latest crop estimates from the USDA.

The United States all orange forecast for the 2017-2018 season is 4.16 million tons, down 4% from last month and down 19% from the 2016-2017 final utilization.

The United States 2017-2018 grapefruit crop is forecast at 578,000 tons, down 2% from last month and 15% below last season's final utilization. In Florida, expected production, at 4.65 million boxes (198,000 tons), is down 5% from last month and down 40% from last year. California and Texas grapefruit production forecasts were carried forward from the previous month.

The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 965,000 tons, down slightly from last month and down 7% from last season's final utilization. The Florida forecast, at 950,000 boxes (45,000 tons), is down 5% from last month and down 41% from 2016-2017. The California tangerine and mandarin forecasts were carried forward from the previous month.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2016-2017 and
Forecasted November 1, 2017
[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        :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :     2016-2017     :     2017-2018     :     2016-2017     :     2017-2018
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              :      ------- 1,000 boxes ------               ------- 1,000 tons ------
Oranges                       :
California, all 2/ ...........:       50,300             46,000               2,012               1,840
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ....:       39,300             35,000               1,572               1,400
 Valencia ....................:       11,000             11,000                 440                 440
                              :
Florida, all .................:       68,750             50,000               3,094               2,250
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ....:       33,000             21,000               1,485                 945
 Valencia ....................:       35,750             29,000               1,609               1,305
                              :
Texas, all 2/ ................:        1,370              1,650                  58                  70
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ....:        1,090              1,350                  46                  57
 Valencia ....................:          280                300                  12                  13
                              :
United States, all ...........:      120,420             97,650               5,164               4,160
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ....:       73,390             57,350               3,103               2,402
 Valencia ....................:       47,030             40,300               2,061               1,758
                              :
Grapefruit                    :
California 2/ ................:        4,000              4,200                 160                 168
Florida, all .................:        7,760              4,650                 330                 198
 Red .........................:        6,280              3,800                 267                 162
 White .......................:        1,480                850                  63                  36
Texas 2/ .....................:        4,800              5,300                 192                 212
                              :
United States ................:       16,560             14,150                 682                 578
                              :
Tangerines and mandarins 4/   :
California 2/ ................:       23,900             23,000                 956                 920
Florida ......................:        1,620                950                  77                  45
                              :
United States ................:       25,520             23,950               1,033                 965
                              :
Lemons 2/                     :
Arizona ......................:        1,650              1,600                  66                  64
California ...................:       20,500             21,000                 820                 840
                              :
United States ................:       22,150             22,600                 886                 904
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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/ Estimates for current year carried forward from an earlier forecast.
3/ Navel and miscellaneous varieties in California. Early (including Navel) and midseason varieties in Florida
   and Texas.
4/ Includes tangelos and tangors.