USDA Citrus Crop Forecast: Another 4 Million Box Drop in Valencia Oranges

Dan Citrus, Crop Forecasts, Florida, General

 Max Lord, USDA Ag Statistics Service, reported the citrus crop numbers for April. The Valencia orange crop reflects a decrease of 4 million boxes, or 4 percent. Lord discussed the decline in Florida. The size and drop surveys showed that the final droppage is 31 percent this year, which is the highest of any non-hurricane, non-freeze season since the 1969-70 season. The final size is slightly above last month’s projection. It requires 240 pieces of fruit to fill a 1 3/5 bushel box and it is the second smallest fruit size in series dating back to 1960-61 surpassing only that of the 1976-77 freeze season.

Crop Forecast:
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Reason for Fruit Drop:
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Please CLICK HERE for the April USDA Maturity Test Results and Fruit Size Chart.

The next scheduled USDA Citrus Crop Forecast will be Friday, May 9, 2014 at approximately 12 noon and can be heard “live” here on southeastagnet.com

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