Florida Orange Crop Shrinks

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released today February its orange crop forecast for the 2008-2009 season, reducing its earlier estimate by two point five percent, or four million boxes.

The USDA attributed the decline to smaller sizes and increased fruit drop. USDA said it would continue to assess the impact of the freezes. The crop is now expected to total 158 million boxes.

“The USDA has taken off several million boxes since their original orange estimate in October and with the field reports we’re getting regarding fruit damage and juice yield loss from the late January and early February freezes we would expect less juice production than we were just a month ago,” Executive VP/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual Michael W. Sparks said. “As a result, we would anticipate better grower returns for the late crop than what we experienced for the early crop.”

A cold spell hit Florida citrus on Jan. 22 and Feb. 5. The USDA said on Tuesday that a freeze survey showed little or no damage at that time.

The USDA makes initial citrus production forecastin October and then revises it monthly until the end of the season in July. In 2007-2008, Florida harvested 170.2 million boxes of oranges.

The USDA maintained its prediction that 23 million boxes of grapefruit will be produced in ’08-’09. The early and midseason crop is now projected at 83 million boxes, down from 84 million boxes.
The Valencias projection is now at 75 million boxes this season.
The Florida citrus industry
creates a $9.3 billion annual economic impact. It employs nearly 76,000 people and covers more than 576,000 acres.

Florida Citrus Mutual was founded in 1948. It currently represents nearly 8,000 grower members and is the state’s largest citrus grower organization.

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