Orange Production Down 1 Percent from March
The United States all orange forecast for the 2011-2012 season is 8.91 million tons, down 1 percent from the previous forecast but virtually unchanged from the revised 2010-2011 final utilization. The Florida all orange forecast, at 145 million boxes (6.53 million tons), is down 1 percent from the March forecast but up 3 percent from last season’s revised final utilization. Early, midseason, and Navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 74.0 million boxes (3.33 million tons), unchanged from the March forecast but up 5 percent from last season. The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 71.0 million boxes (3.20 million tons), is down 3 percent from the March forecast but up 1 percent from the revised 2010-2011 crop. Sizes for Valencia oranges in Florida are expected to be slightly smaller than average and fruit droppage is expected to be well above average.
The California all orange forecast is 58.0 million boxes (2.32 million tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 7 percent from last season’s revised final utilization. The California Navel orange forecast is 44.0 million boxes (1.76 million tons), unchanged from the March forecast but down 8 percent from last season. The California Valenciaorange forecast is 14.0 million boxes (560,000 tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 3 percent from last season’s revised final utilization. Harvest of Navel oranges continued during March, while Valencia orange harvest began. The Texas orange forecast, at 1.39 million boxes (60,000 tons), is down 15 percent from the previous forecast and down 29 percent from last season’s final utilization.
Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield forecast for the 2011-2012 season is 1.62 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, down 1 percent from the March forecast but up 2 percent from last season’s final yield of 1.59 gallons per box. The early-midseason portion is 1.56 gallons per box, up 3 percent from last season’s yield. The Valencia portion is projected at 1.72 gallons per box, 4 percent higher than last year’s final yield of 1.66 gallons per box. All projections of yield assume the processing relationships this season will be similar to those of the past several seasons.
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Source: USDA