USDA lowers Florida citrus estimate after hurricane damage

December’s USDA crop production report reflected the damaging effects of Hurricane Ian in late September and Hurricane Nicole in early November on Florida’s citrus crop.

The USDA pulled the 2022-23 Florida all-orange crop forecast down nearly 30% from the October forecast and down 51% from last season’s final utilization.

The Florida grapefruit forecast is down 10% from the October forecast and down 46% from last season.

“The December crop forecast reflects the very real challenges that Hurricane Ian, Hurricane Nicole, and the ongoing impacts of citrus greening have created for growers across the state, but we remain hopeful and motivated to secure the future of our industry,” Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, said in the release. “Growers are focused on recovery and continue to invest in new tools to help rebuild. Florida citrus growers are resilient. They have withstood centuries of extreme weather, and this hurricane season is no exception.”

The USDA said the U.S. all-orange forecast for the 2022-23 season is 2.83 million tons, down 11% from the previous forecast and down 18% from the 2021-22 final utilization.

The Florida all-orange forecast, at 20 million boxes (900,000 tons), is down 29% from the previous forecast and down 51% from last season's final utilization. Florida’s early, midseason and navel varieties are forecast at 7 million boxes (315,000 tons), down 36% from the previous forecast and down 62% from last season's final utilization. 

Florida’s valencia orange forecast, at 13 million boxes (585,000 tons), is down 24% from the previous forecast and down 43% from last season's final utilization. California and Texas orange production forecasts were carried forward from the October forecast.

The USDA estimated the U.S. 2022-23 grapefruit crop at 321,000 tons, down 2% from the previous forecast and down 14% from last season's final utilization. California and Texas grapefruit production forecasts were carried forward from the previous forecast, the USDA said.

The USDA estimated the U.S. tangerine and mandarin crop at 829,000 tons, down slightly from the previous forecast but up 13% from the last season's final utilization. The Florida tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 600,000 boxes (29,000 tons), is down 14% from October’s forecast and down 20% from last year. The California tangerine and mandarin forecast was carried forward from the previous forecast, the USDA said.