Citrus Output Improves

WASHINGTON - Oct 10/19 - SNS -- Citrus fruit production in the United States is up slightly from last year, according to the USDA's latest crop production estimates.

The United States all orange forecast for the 2019-2020 season is 5.33 million tons, virtually unchanged from the 2018-2019 final utilization.

The United States 2019-2020 grapefruit crop is forecast at 592,000 tons, up 5% from last season's final utilization. In Texas, expected production, at 5.70 million boxes (228,000 tons), is down 7% from last year.

The forecast for the 2019-2020 United States lemon crop is 856,000 tons, down 11% from last season's final utilization. The California production forecast, at 20.0 million boxes (800,000 tons), is down 12% from the 2018-2019 season.

The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 970,000 tons, down 11% from last season's final utilization. The California forecast, at 23.0 million boxes (920,000 tons), is down 12% from the previous year. The Florida tangerine and mandarin forecast is up 6% from last year.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2018-2019 and
Forecasted October 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       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2018-2019    :    2019-2020    :    2018-2019    :    2019-2020
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes ------            ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all ............:      49,800            47,000            1,992             1,880
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      40,800            38,000            1,632             1,520
 Valencia ..................:       9,000             9,000              360               360
                            :
Florida, all ...............:      71,750            74,000            3,229             3,330
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      30,400            32,000            1,368             1,440
 Valencia ..................:      41,350            42,000            1,861             1,890
                            :
Texas, all .................:       2,500             2,700              106               115
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:       2,210             2,050               94                87
 Valencia ..................:         290               650               12                28
                            :
United States, all .........:     124,050           123,700            5,327             5,325
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      73,410            72,050            3,094             3,047
 Valencia ..................:      50,640            51,650            2,233             2,278
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California .................:       3,200             4,200              128               168
Florida, all ...............:       4,510             4,600              192               196
 Red .......................:       3,740             3,900              159               166
 White .....................:         770               700               33                30
Texas ......................:       6,100             5,700              244               228
                            :
United States ..............:      13,810            14,500              564               592
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 3/ :
California .................:      26,000            23,000            1,040               920
Florida ....................:         990             1,050               47                50
                            :
United States ..............:      26,990            24,050            1,087               970
                            :
Lemons                      :
Arizona ....................:       1,350             1,400               54                56
California .................:      22,800            20,000              912               800
                            :
United States ..............:      24,150            21,400              966               856
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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.