ISSUE 1098 ORANGE
FORECAST DOWN USDA
has announced that the U.S. all orange forecast for the 2005-06 season is 9.22
million tons, down 2 percent from the December forecast but 1 percent above last
season's final total of 9.11 million tons. Florida's all orange forecast, at 158
million boxes (7.11 million tons), is down 2 percent from the previous forecast
but up 6 percent from the 2004-05 crop. Early,
midseason, and navel varieties are forecast at 80.0 million boxes (3.60 million
tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but 1 percent above last season's
final figure. The Florida Valencia forecast is reduced by 4 million boxes to 78.0
million boxes (3.51 million tons), down 5 percent from the previous forecast but
up 11 percent from last season's final utilization. For both Valencia and early-midseason
crops, projected fruit sizes will be smaller than any of the previous 10 years,
and fruit drop will be above average. ALSO IN THIS WEEK'S RAP-UP (Members-Only articles are indicated in bold.) | |
