WASHINGTON - Apr 10/18 - SNS -- Production of citrus crops in the United States will be better than initially expected, but remain below last year, according to the USDA's latest production forecast.
This season's orange harvest will likely reach 3.90 million tons, up slightly from last month but down 23% from the 2016-2017 revised final utilization, according to the USDA.
The United States 2017-2018 grapefruit crop is forecast at 558,000 tons, up 5% from last month but 20% below last season's revised final utilization. In Florida, expected production, at 4.00 million boxes (170,000 tons), is down 14% from last month and down 48% from last year.
The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 877,000 tons, down 1% from last month and down 15% from last season's final utilization. The California forecast, at 21.0 million boxes (840,000 tons), is unchanged from last month but down 12% from the 2016-2017 season. The Florida tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 770,000 boxes (37,000 tons) is down 13% from last month and down 52% from the previous year.
The forecast for the 2017-2018 United States lemon crop is 872,000 tons, up slightly from last month but down 2% from last season's final utilization. The California production forecast, at 20.5 million boxes (820,000 tons), is unchanged from both last month and from 2016-2017.
Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2016-2017 and Forecasted April 1, 2018 [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 ..............: 48,300 44,500 1,932 1,780 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 39,300 35,000 1,572 1,400 Valencia ....................: 9,000 9,500 360 380 : Florida, all .................: 68,850 45,000 3,098 2,025 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 33,000 19,000 1,485 855 Valencia ....................: 35,850 26,000 1,613 1,170 : Texas, all ...................: 1,370 2,110 58 90 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 1,090 1,550 46 66 Valencia ....................: 280 560 12 24 : United States, all ...........: 118,520 91,610 5,088 3,895 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ....: 73,390 55,550 3,103 2,321 Valencia ....................: 45,130 36,060 1,985 1,574 : Grapefruit : California ...................: 4,400 4,000 176 160 Florida, all .................: 7,760 4,000 330 170 Red .........................: 6,280 3,250 267 138 White .......................: 1,480 750 63 32 Texas ........................: 4,800 5,700 192 228 : United States ................: 16,960 13,700 698 558 : Tangerines and mandarins 3/ : California ...................: 23,900 21,000 956 840 Florida ......................: 1,620 770 77 37 : United States ................: 25,520 21,770 1,033 877 : Lemons : Arizona ......................: 1,650 1,300 66 52 California ...................: 20,500 20,500 820 820 : United States ................: 22,150 21,800 886 872 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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