October 16, 2006

ISSUE 1137

FLORIDA'S ALL ORANGE FORECAST IS 135 MILLION BOXES; DOWN 9 PERCENT

USDA announced Thursday (October 12) that the initial U.S. all orange forecast for the 2006-07 season is 7.89 million tons, down 11 percent from last season's final utilization of 8.90 million tons. Florida's all orange forecast, at 135 million boxes (6.08 million tons), is down 9 percent from the 2005-06 hurricane-reduced crop.

This forecast is 44 percent lower than the final utilization for the 2003-04 season, which was Florida's last non-hurricane-reduced crop. Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 72.0 million boxes (3.24 million tons), 4 percent below last season's final utilization.

Beginning with the current season, Temple oranges are included in this category. Florida's Valencia forecast is 63.0 million boxes (2.84 million tons), down 14 percent from last season's final utilization. Average fruit per tree is down from last year for all orange varieties and is attributed to cold temperatures in mid-February which interrupted the bloom period, as well as lingering stress from last year's hurricane. This reduced fruit set is particularly evident in Valencia oranges, which at 428 fruit per tree is the lowest on record.