A February hard freeze and generally adverse weather conditions during the winter are contributing to sharply lower citrus output in key growing regions of Texas and Florida, according to recent USDA data. In the agency’s most recent Citrus April Forecast report, all orange production was pegged 7% lower than the March forecast, with Florida grapefruit and tangerine/tangelo crops leading the way lower to the tune of 7% and 10%, respectively. That translates to a 300,000-box reduction in red grapefruit in Florida alone, where 98% of that crop has been harvested. California and Arizona lemon production is also lower by 2 million and 100,000 for those two states, respectively. One bright spot: The April forecasts were unchanged for Florida white grapefruit as well as California oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and tangelos. See more of the latest citrus crop output data.
Featured
-
400 Farm Groups Advocate for Protecting and Enhancing Crop Insurance in the 2023 Farm Bill BudgetMarch 16, 2023
-
President’s Proposed FY2024 Budget Confirms Crop Insurance IndispensableMarch 16, 2023
-
Grocery Food Inflation Maintains 10% HikeMarch 16, 2023
-
California Flooding Devastates Hundreds of Strawberry FarmsMarch 17, 2023
-
Access to Mexican Corn Market Critical for Success of U.S. GrowersMarch 17, 2023