Orange Harvest Improves

WASHINGTON - Feb 9/21 - SNS -- Production or oranges in the United States is expected to be 2% higher than initially forecast, but down 11% from last year at 4.62 million tons, according to the USDA.

The Florida all orange forecast, at 56.0 million boxes (2.52 million tons), is up 4% from the previous forecast but down 17% from last season's final utilization. In Florida, early, midseason, and Navel varieties are forecast at 22.0 million boxes (990,000 tons), up 10% from the previous forecast but down 26% from last season's final utilization.

The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 34.0 million boxes (1.53 million tons), is unchanged from the previous forecast but down 10% from last season's final utilization. California and Texas orange production forecasts were carried forward from the previous forecast.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2019-2020 and
Forecasted February 1, 2021
[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       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2019-2020    :    2020-2021    :    2019-2020    :    2020-2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes ------            ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all 2/ .........:      53,300            51,000            2,132             2,040
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:      44,300            42,000            1,772             1,680
 Valencia ..................:       9,000             9,000              360               360
                            :
Florida, all ...............:      67,300            56,000            3,028             2,520
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:      29,650            22,000            1,334               990
 Valencia ..................:      37,650            34,000            1,694             1,530
                            :
Texas, all 2/ ..............:       1,340             1,500               57                64
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:       1,150             1,300               49                55
 Valencia ..................:         190               200                8                 9
                            :
United States, all .........:     121,940           108,500            5,217             4,624
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:      75,100            65,300            3,155             2,725
 Valencia ..................:      46,840            43,200            2,062             1,899
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California 2/ ..............:       3,800             4,200              152               168
Florida, all ...............:       4,850             4,600              207               196
 Red 4/ ....................:       4,060              (NA)              173              (NA)
 White 4/ ..................:         790              (NA)               34              (NA)
Texas 2/ ...................:       4,400             5,000              176               200
                            :
United States ..............:      13,050            13,800              535               564
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 5/ :
California 2/ ..............:      22,000            23,000              880               920
Florida ....................:       1,020             1,050               48                50
                            :
United States ..............:      23,020            24,050              928               970
                            :
Lemons 2/                   :
Arizona ....................:       1,800             1,900               72                76
California .................:      25,700            24,000            1,028               960
                            :
United States ..............:      27,500            25,900            1,100             1,036
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(NA) Not available.
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/   Estimates discontinued in 2020-2021.
5/   Includes tangelos and tangors.