Citrus Utilized Production Down 15 Percent, Value Up 7 Percent

Dan Citrus, Commodity Report

oranges hanging from a orange treeCitrus utilized production for the 2013-2014 season totaled 9.4 million tons, down 15 percent from the 2012-2013 season. Florida accounted for 59 percent of the total United States citrus production, while California totaled 37 percent, and Texas and Arizona combined produced the remaining 4 percent. Total utilized citrus production was down from the previous year in all citrus reporting States except Arizona, which was unchanged.

The value of the 2013-2014 United States citrus crop was up 7 percent from last season, at $3.39 billion (packinghouse-door equivalent). Orange value of production decreased 5 percent from last season while grapefruit value is down 10 percent. Tangerine and mandarin value of production is 27 percent higher than last season and lemon value of production is up 62 percent. Tangelo value decreased 24 percent from the previous season.

Florida’s orange production, at 105 million boxes, is down 22 percent from the previous season. Bearing citrus acreage in Florida, at 476,300 acres, is 13,300 acres below the 2012-2013 season. Florida’s frozen concentrated orange juice yield at 1.56908 gallons per box was down 1 percent from last season.

Overall comparisons discussed above are based on similar fruit types. The revised production and utilization estimates are based on all data available at the end of the marketing season, including information from marketing orders, shipments, and processor records. Allowances are made for recorded local utilization and home use. Estimates for the 2013-2014 California Valencia oranges and grapefruit are preliminary, since the marketing season is not complete at publication time. Revisions to the utilized production estimates for all citrus for the 2013-2014 season will be published in the April 2015 Crop Production report.

Read the full USDA Citrus Fruits report here. (.pdf)