Winter Wheat Production Down 10 Percent from 2012Orange Production Unchanged from April
Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.49 billion bushels, down 10 percent from 2012. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 32.7 million acres, down 6 percent from last year. As of May 1, the United States yield is forecast at 45.4 bushels per acre, down 1.8 bushels from the previous year.
Hard Red Winter production, at 768 million bushels, is down 23 percent from a year ago. Soft Red Winter, at 501 million bushels, is up 19 percent from 2012. White Winter, at 217 million bushels, is down 2 percent from a year ago. Of the White Winter production, 11.4 million bushels are Hard White and 205 million bushels are Soft White.
The United States all orange forecast for the 2012-2013 season is 8.60 million tons, unchanged from the previous forecast but down 4 percent from the 2011-2012 final utilization. The Florida all orange forecast, at 138 million boxes (6.21 million tons), is unchanged from the April forecast but down 6 percent from last season's final utilization. Early, midseason, and Navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 67.0 million boxes (3.02 million tons), unchanged from the April forecast but down 10 percent from last season. The Florida Valencia orange forecast, at 71.0 million boxes (3.20 million tons), is unchanged from the April forecast but down 2 percent from last season's final utilization. Rainfall during the month helped ease drought conditions during April. California and Texas production forecasts
are carried forward from April.
Florida frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) yield forecast for the 2012-2013 season is 1.60 gallons per box at 42.0 degrees Brix, down 1 percent from the April forecast and down 2 percent from last season's final yield of 1.63 gallons per box. The early-midseason portion is final at 1.51 gallons per box, down 1 percent from last season's final yield of 1.53 gallons per box. The Valencia portion is projected at 1.69 gallons per box, 3 percent lower than last year's final yield of 1.75 gallons per box. All projections of yield assume the processing relationships this season will be similar to those of the past several seasons.
Source: USDA