Orange Production Down Slightly from February Forecast
The United States all orange forecast for the 2013-2014 season is 7.37 million tons, down slightly from the previous forecast and down 12 percent from the 2012-2013 final utilization. The Florida all orange forecast, at 114 million boxes (5.13 million tons), is down 1 percent from the previous forecast and down 15 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), down 2 percent from the previous forecast and down 21 percent from last season. The Row Count Survey conducted February 25-26, 2014 showed about 98 percent of the Early-Midseason rows had been harvested. The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 61.0 million boxes (2.75 million tons), is unchanged from the previous forecast but down 8 percent from last season's final utilization.
The California Valencia orange forecast is 12.0 million boxes (480,000 tons), up 4 percent from the previous forecast. This brings California's all orange forecast to 54.0 million boxes (2.16 million tons), up 1 percent from the January forecast. Objective survey measurements taken during January and February indicated that fruit set per tree was lower than the previous year, but the measured average fruit size was larger than the previous year. The forecast for Texas is carried forward from January.
Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield forecast for the 2013-2014 season is 1.61 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, unchanged from the February 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