STAT Communications Ag Market News

Orange Output Boosts Citrus Numbers

WASHINGTON - Feb 8/19 - SNS -- Citrus fruit production in the United States is up over last year, with increases in the size of the orange crop offsetting declines in other fruits, according to the USDA.

The orange crop is expected to reach 5.54 million tons, unchanged from last month but up 41% from the 2017-2018 final utilization

The United States 2018-2019 grapefruit crop is forecast at 668,000 tons, down 1% from last month but up 29% from last season's final utilization. In Florida, expected production, at 6.00 million boxes (256,000 tons), is down 3% from last month but up 55% from last year. California and Texas grapefruit production forecasts were carried forward from the January 1 forecast.

The January forecast for the 2018-2019 United States lemon crop is 856,000 tons, unchanged from October but down 4% from last season's final utilization. The California production forecast, at 20.0 million boxes (800,000 tons), is unchanged from October but down 6% from the 2017- 2018 season.

The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 968,000 tons, down 1% from last month but up 20% from last season's final utilization. The Florida forecast, at 1.00 million boxes (48,000 tons), is unchanged from last month but up 33% from the previous year. The California tangerine and mandarin forecast was carried forward from the January 1 forecast.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2017-2018 and
Forecasted January 1, 2019
[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       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2017-2018    :    2018-2019    :    2017-2018    :    2018-2019
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes ------            ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all ............:     45,400             49,000            1,816             1,960
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:     35,900             40,000            1,436             1,600
 Valencia ..................:      9,500              9,000              380               360
                            :
Florida, all ...............:     44,950             77,000            2,023             3,465
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:     18,950             32,000              853             1,440
 Valencia ..................:     26,000             45,000            1,170             2,025
                            :
Texas, all .................:      1,880              2,600               80               111
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      1,530              2,000               65                85
 Valencia ..................:        350                600               15                26
                            :
United States, all .........:     92,230            128,600            3,919             5,536
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:     56,380             74,000            2,354             3,125
 Valencia ..................:     35,850             54,600            1,565             2,411
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California .................:      4,000              4,000              160               160
Florida, all ...............:      3,880              6,200              165               264
 Red .......................:      3,180              5,200              135               221
 White .....................:        700              1,000               30                43
Texas ......................:      4,800              6,300              192               252
                            :
United States ..............:     12,680             16,500              517               676
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 3/ :
California .................:     19,200             23,000              768               920
Florida ....................:        750              1,000               36                48
                            :
United States ..............:     19,950             24,000              804               968
                            :
Lemons                      :
Arizona ....................:      1,000              1,400               40                56
California .................:     21,200             20,000              848               800
                            :
United States ..............:     22,200             21,400              888               856
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2017-2018 and
Forecasted February 1, 2019
[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       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2017-2018    :    2018-2019    :    2017-2018    :    2018-2019
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes ------            ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all 2/ .........:     45,400             49,000            1,816             1,960
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:     35,900             40,000            1,436             1,600
 Valencia ..................:      9,500              9,000              380               360
                            :
Florida, all ...............:     44,950             77,000            2,023             3,465
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:     18,950             32,000              853             1,440
 Valencia ..................:     26,000             45,000            1,170             2,025
                            :
Texas, all 2/ ..............:      1,880              2,600               80               111
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:      1,530              2,000               65                85
 Valencia ..................:        350                600               15                26
                            :
United States, all .........:     92,230            128,600            3,919             5,536
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:     56,380             74,000            2,354             3,125
 Valencia ..................:     35,850             54,600            1,565             2,411
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California 2/ ..............:      4,000              4,000              160               160
Florida, all ...............:      3,880              6,000              165               256
 Red .......................:      3,180              5,000              135               213
 White .....................:        700              1,000               30                43
Texas 2/ ...................:      4,800              6,300              192               252
                            :
United States ..............:     12,680             16,300              517               668
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 4/ :
California 2/ ..............:     19,200             23,000              768               920
Florida ....................:        750              1,000               36                48
                            :
United States ..............:     19,950             24,000              804               968
                            :
Lemons 2/                   :
Arizona ....................:      1,000              1,400               40                56
California .................:     21,200             20,000              848               800
                            :
United States ..............:     22,200             21,400              888               856
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 January 1, 2019 forecast.
3/ Navel and miscellaneous varieties in California. Early (including Navel) and midseason varieties
   in Florida and Texas.
4/ Includes tangelos and tangors.

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