Orange Production Down 2 Percent from March Forecast
The United States all orange forecast for the 2013-2014 season is 7.20 million tons, down 2 percent from the previous forecast and down 13 percent from the 2012-2013 revised final utilization. The Florida all orange forecast, at 110 million boxes (4.95 million tons), is down 4 percent from the previous forecast and down 18 percent from last season's final utilization. Early, midseason, and Navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 53.0 million boxes (2.39 million tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 21 percent from last season. The Row Count Survey conducted April 1-2, 2014 showed about 99 percent of the Early-Midseason rows had been harvested. The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 57.0 million boxes (2.57 million tons), is down 7 percent from the previous forecast and down 14 percent from last season's final utilization.
The California Valencia orange forecast is 12.0 million boxes (480,000 tons), unchanged from the previous forecast and last season's revised final utilization. The California Navel orange forecast is 42.0 million boxes (1.68 million tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 1 percent from last season's revised final utilization. The Texas all orange forecast, at 2.01 million boxes (85,000 tons), is up 10 percent from the previous forecast and up 12 percent from last season's final utilization.
Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield forecast for the 2013-2014 season is 1.60 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, down 1 percent from the March forecast but up 1 percent from last season's final yield of 1.59 gallons per box. The early-midseason portion is projected at 1.52 gallons per box, up 1 percent from last season's yield of 1.51 gallons per box. The Valencia portion is projected at 1.69 gallons per box, unchanged from last year's final yield. All projections of yield assume the processing relationships this season will be similar to those of the past several seasons.
Source: USDA