How Is Florida’s Orange Crop Holding Up?

Another cut in potential orange production in Florida. USDA's crop report on Wednesday slicing another 2% off its previous orange production forecast; new estimate at 43.5 million boxes. That would 18% below last season's crop.  But, the surveys of that crop were done before the big freeze hit the orange grove January 28th through the 30th.

"We don't exactly what the full impact may have been on the citrus crop at this point, though impact is not fully reflected in the report here today," said NASS' Lance Honig. "But, just as a reminder, we will be looking at the next forecast for the citrus cop in the March production report, and so we'll see what types of new information we'll have by then and go from there."

Honig added between hurricanes and citrus greening disease and freezes, Florida orange producers have seen some very difficult times.

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