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California orange production drops like a rock
WASHINGTON, D.C. April 10, 2007 6:40am 
• Harvest off 39 percent in total • Impacts national harvest numbers The toll from the mid-January freeze is showing up on the production records of Central Valley and Southern California orange growers in the latest report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, issued Tuesday.
California's growers are expected to harvest a total of 37 million boxes (1.39 million tons) of oranges, 39 percent below last season’s total of 60.5 million boxes (2.27 million tons).
Navel orange production is forecast at 27 million boxes (1.01 million tons) -- 43 percent lower than last season.
Despite the bad numbers, packing houses continue to find some good quality navel oranges, the USDA says.
California's Valencia forecast is 10 million boxes (375,000 tons), 26 percent below the 2005-06 season's crop. A few packing houses were scheduled to start handling Valencia oranges in early April.
The impact of the freeze is being felt nationwide with the total U.S. orange production now forecast at 7.36 million tons, down 18 percent from last season’s 9 million tons, the USDA says.
Florida's total orange forecast, at 131 million boxes (5.88 million tons), is 12 percent lower than the 2005-06 season's crop. Early, midseason, and navel varieties in Florida are forecast at 65.7 million boxes (2.96 million tons), down 12 percent from last season's final utilization. The row count survey conducted March 28-29 indicated that 1 percent of the early and midseason orange rows remained to be harvested. Navel harvest was complete.
Florida's Valencia forecast is 65 million boxes (2.93 million tons), down 11 percent from last season's final utilization.
The row count survey showed that 21 percent of Valencia rows had been harvested.
The Texas all orange forecast is 1.85 million boxes (78,000 tons), 16 percent higher than last season's final production. The Texas early and midseason orange harvest is virtually complete, the USDA says.
Arizona's all orange utilization forecast, at 350,000 boxes (14,000 tons), is 22 percent lower than the 2005-06 season.
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