October 15, 2007

ISSUE 1188

USDA PREDICTS CITRUS CROP WILL REBOUND TO 168 MILLION BOXES

USDA is predicting a rebound in state orange production this year. Its forecastfor the state, issued Oct. 12, is 168 million boxes, a 30 percent increase from last year’s 129 million boxes. Last season was the state’s worst since the freezes in the 1980s. Early, mid-season and navel oranges were predicted at 81 million boxes, up 23 percent from last year, and Florida Valencias should be up 37 percent at 87 million boxes. The grapefruit crop, however, is projected at 25 million boxes, down 2.2 million boxes from last year.