USDA downgrades 2022-23 citrus estimates
The USDA July 12 crop production report showed reductions in 2022-23 estimates for oranges, grapefruit and lemons but an increase for tangerines.
The July report said the U.S. all-orange forecast for the 2022-23 season is 2.52 million tons, down 1% from the previous forecast and down 26% from the 2021-22 final utilization. The Florida all-orange forecast, at 15.9 million boxes (714,000 tons), is up 1% from the previous forecast but down 62% from last season's final utilization.
In Florida, early, midseason and navel varieties are forecast at 6.15 million boxes (277,000 tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 66% from last season's final utilization. The Florida valencia orange forecast, at 9.70 million boxes (437,000 tons), is up 1% from the previous forecast but down 58% from last season's final utilization.
The California all-orange forecast is 44 million boxes (1.76 million tons), down 2% from the previous forecast but up 13% from last season's utilization, the report said. The California navel orange forecast is 37 million boxes (1.48 million tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but up 17% from last season's utilization. The USDA said the California valencia orange forecast is 7 million boxes (280,000 tons), down 14% from the previous forecast and down 8% from last season's utilization.
The Texas all-orange forecast, at 1.13 million boxes (48,000 tons), is up 8% from the previous forecast and "up significantly from last season's utilization," the report said.
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The USDA said the U.S. 2022-23 grapefruit crop is forecast at 334,000 tons, down 2% from the previous forecast and down 11% from last season's final utilization. The California forecast, at 4.2 million boxes (168,000 tons), is unchanged from the previous forecast but up 2% from the last season.
The USDA report said the U.S. tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 903,000 tons, up 5% from the previous forecast and up 23% from the last season's final utilization. The California tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 22 million boxes (880,000 tons), is up 5% from the previous forecast and up 26% from last season, the report said.
The USDA said the 2022-23 U.S. lemon crop is forecast at 856,000 tons, down 13% from the previous forecast and down 19% from last season's final utilization. The California forecast, at 20 million boxes (800,000 tons), is down 13% from the previous forecast and down 21% from the 2021-22 season. The Arizona forecast, at 1.4 million boxes (56,000 tons), is down 18% from the previous forecast but up 12% from the 2021-22 season.
Additional crop reports
Also in its July crop production report, the USDA said the 2023 apricot crop is forecast at 32,400 tons, up 9% from last year. In California, growers experienced some of the heaviest blooms in years due to sufficient chilling hours and adequate rainfall, the USDA said. However, there were reports of some frost and hail damage that had no significant impact upon the crop's development. In Washington state, some growers experienced a late February frost that affected fruit set, the report said.
Overall, the springtime weather was generally good for the crop, the USDA reported.
The USDA’s estimate for the 2023 California almond production (shelled basis) is 2.6 billion pounds, up 4% from the previous forecast and up 1% from the previous year.
The 2023 almond growing season began with unseasonably cold temperatures and stormy weather conditions, impacting pollination, the release said. The almond bloom began in the middle of February and peaked at the end of the month.
Limited bee flight activity was reported in all the growing regions, along with downed trees, due to high winds and oversaturated soil, the report said. Colder-than-average temperatures continued through spring and early summer, resulting in a delayed crop, according to the USDA.
