USDA’s March orange production estimate up slightly from February forecast
The USDA’s March all-orange forecast for the 2022-23 season is 2.62 million tons, up slightly from the previous forecast but down 25% from the 2021-22 final utilization.
The Florida all-orange forecast, at 16.1 million boxes (725,000 tons), is up 1% from the previous forecast but down 61% from last season's final utilization, the USDA said.
In Florida, early, midseason, and navel varieties are forecast at 6.1 million boxes (275,000 tons), up 2% from the previous forecast but down 67% from last season's final utilization. The Florida valencia orange forecast, at 10 million boxes (450,000 tons), is unchanged from the previous forecast but down 56% from last season's final utilization.
The California valencia orange forecast is 8.1 million boxes (324,000 tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 6% from the previous season, the USDA said.
The California all-orange forecast of 46.1 million boxes (1.84 million tons) is unchanged from the previous forecast but up 14% from last season's final utilization.
