December Citrus Crop Forecast Unchanged - Citrus Industry Magazine

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2018-2019 Florida all-orange forecast for December is 77 million boxes, unchanged from the November forecast. If realized, this forecast will be 71 percent more than last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 32 million boxes of the non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason and Navel varieties) and 45 million boxes of Valencia oranges.

Current fruit size is below the minimum and projected to be below the minimum at harvest. Current droppage is above average and is projected to be above average until harvest.

The forecast for Florida’s all-grapefruit production is unchanged at 6.4 million boxes. If realized, this forecast will be 65 percent more than last season’s final production. The red grapefruit forecast is 5.3 million boxes. Fruit size of red grapefruit at harvest is projected to be below average, and droppage is projected to be above average. The white grapefruit forecast is 1.1 million boxes. Projected fruit size of white grapefruit at harvest is below average, while projected droppage is above average.

The forecast for tangerine and tangelos is unchanged at 1.2 million boxes, 60 percent more than last season’s hurricane-affected utilization of 750,000 boxes.

The next forecast will take place on Jan. 11 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Hear the December forecast: