Total Citrus Output Sinks In U.S.

WASHINGTON - Dec 9/22 - SNS -- Production of all types of citrus fruit in the United States will be down significantly from last season because of a steep drop in the orange harvest, according to the USDA.

The United States all orange forecast for the 2022-2023 season is 2.83 million tons, down 11% from the previous forecast and down 18% from the 2021- 2022 final utilization.

The United States 2022-2023 grapefruit crop is forecast at 321,000 tons, down 2% from the previous forecast and down 14% from last season's final utilization. The Florida forecast, at 1.80 million boxes (77,000 tons), is down 10% from previous forecast and down 46% from the last season. California and Texas grapefruit production forecasts were carried forward from the previous forecast.

The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 829,000 tons, down slightly from the previous forecast but up 13% from the last season's final utilization. The Florida tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 600,000 boxes (29,000 tons), is down 14% from last forecast and down 20% from last year. The California tangerine and mandarin forecast was carried forward from the previous forecast.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2021-2022 and
Forecasted December 1, 2022
[The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with the completion of
harvest the following year.]
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                            :   Utilized production boxes 1/    :Utilized production ton equivalent
       Crop and State       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2021-2022    :    2022-2023    :    2021-2022    :    2022-2023
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes -----             ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all 2/ .........:     40,400            47,100             1,616             1,884
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:     31,800            38,000             1,272             1,520
 Valencia ..................:      8,600             9,100               344               364
                            :
Florida, all ...............:     41,050            20,000             1,847               900
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:     18,250             7,000               821               315
 Valencia ..................:     22,800            13,000             1,026               585
                            :
Texas, all 2/ ..............:        200             1,150                 8                49
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:        170               900                 7                38
 Valencia ..................:         30               250                 1                11
                            :
United States, all .........:     81,650            68,250             3,471             2,833
 Early, mid, and Navel 3/ ..:     50,220            45,900             2,100             1,873
 Valencia ..................:     31,430            22,350             1,371               960
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California 2/ ..............:      4,100             4,100               164               164
Florida ....................:      3,330             1,800               142                77
Texas 2/ ...................:      1,700             2,000                68                80
                            :
United States ..............:      9,130             7,900               374               321
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 5/ :
California 2/ ..............:     17,400            20,000               696               800
Florida ....................:        750               600                36                29
                            :
United States ..............:     18,150            20,600               732               829
                            :
Lemons 2/                   :
Arizona ....................:        950             1,150                38                46
California .................:     24,900            23,000               996               920
                            :
United States ..............:     25,850            24,150             1,034               966
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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/ 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.