Overall Drop In Citrus Production

WASHINGTON - Oct 11/24 -SNS -- Output of all citrus fruits in the United States are forecast to decline this year, according to the USDA's latest crop production forecast.

The United States all orange forecast for the 2024-2025 season is 2.62 million tons, down 5% from the 2023-2024 final utilization.

The United States 2024-2025 grapefruit crop is forecast at 304,000 tons, down 12% from last season's final utilization. The California forecast, at 4.20 million boxes (168,000 tons), is down 2% from the last season. The Texas forecast at 1.90 million boxes (76,000 tons), is down 21% from the 2023-2024 season. The Florida forecast, at 1.40 million boxes (60,000 tons), is down 22% from the last season.

The 2024-2025 United States lemon crop is forecast at 1.10 million tons, up 5% from last season's final utilization in comparable States. The California forecast, at 26.0 million boxes (1.04 million tons), is up 6% from the 2023-2024 season. The Arizona forecast, at 900,000 boxes (36,000 tons), is down 5% from last year. Beginning in 2024-2025, estimates for lemons began in Florida.

The United States tangerine and mandarin crop is forecast at 1.02 million tons, down 9% from last season's final utilization. The California tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 25.0 million boxes (1.00 million tons), is down 9% from the previous year. The Florida tangerine and mandarin forecast, at 400,000 boxes (19,000 tons), is down 11% from last year.

Utilized Production of Citrus Fruits by Crop - States and United States: 2023-2024 and
Forecasted October 1, 2024
[The crop year begins with the bloom of the first year shown and ends with the completion of
harvest the following year]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :   Utilized production boxes 1/    :Utilized production ton equivalent
       Crop and State       :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :    2023-2024    :    2024-2025    :    2023-2024    :    2024-2025
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                            :     ------ 1,000 boxes -----             ------ 1,000 tons -----
Oranges                     :
California, all ............:     47,500            47,700             1,900             1,908
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:     38,200            39,000             1,528             1,560
 Valencia ..................:      9,300             8,700               372               348
                            :
Florida, all ...............:     17,960            15,000               808               675
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:      6,760             6,000               304               270
 Valencia ..................:     11,200             9,000               504               405
                            :
Texas, all .................:      1,180               850                50                36
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:        690               400                29                17
 Valencia ..................:        490               450                21                19
                            :
United States, all .........:     66,640            63,550             2,758             2,619
 Early, mid, and Navel 2/ ..:     45,650            45,400             1,861             1,847
 Valencia ..................:     20,990            18,150               897               772
                            :
Grapefruit                  :
California .................:      4,300             4,200               172               168
Florida, all ...............:      1,790             1,400                76                60
Texas ......................:      2,400             1,900                96                76
                            :
United States ..............:      8,490             7,500               344               304
                            :
Tangerines and mandarins 3/ :
California .................:     27,400            25,000             1,096             1,000
Florida ....................:        450               400                21                19
                            :
United States ..............:     27,850            25,400             1,117             1,019
                            :
Lemons                      :
Arizona ....................:        950               900                38                36
California .................:     24,600            26,000               984             1,040
Florida 4/ .................:       (NA)               500              (NA)                23
                            :
United States ..............:     25,550            27,400             1,022             1,099
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(NA) Not available.
1/   Net pounds per box: oranges in California-80, Florida-90, Texas-85; grapefruit in
     California-80, Florida-85, Texas-80; tangerines and mandarins in California-80, Florida-95;
     lemons in Arizona-80, California-80, Florida-90.
2/   Navel and miscellaneous varieties in California. Early (including Navel) and midseason
     varieties in Florida and Texas.
3/   Includes tangelos and tangors.
4/   Estimates began with the 2024-2025 crop year.