Posts Tagged “Florida citrus shipments”
The forecast for Florida citrus shipments continues its trends showing fewer loading opportunities as the season continues. The March USDA report shows losses in most oranges, grapefruit and tangerine production. However, late season valencia shipments are pegged to remain the same as the February report.
Additionally, there will be more loading opportunities for later season apples than on averge for the past five years, with most of those opportunties being in Washington state.
For March, the USDA estimates the state’s production of all oranges to decline 1%, non-valencia oranges to decrease by 2%, all grapefruit down by 6% and all tangerines to fall by 7%. With grapefruit, both colored and white fruit are each lowered by 500,000 equivalent cartons, lowering production to 16 million cartons, smaller than the 18.8 million cartons the state shipped in 2013.
Since the valencia shipping report is showing no losses from the previous month, it may be a sign of stability as Florida moves into its late season shipping of oranges. Florida is expected to ship 114 million cartons of oranges for the season, down from last year’s 133.6 million cartons. Total Florida citrus shipments are expected to be 134 million cartons, down from 156 million cartons last season. Most of the state’s oranges are sent to the processors.
Florida citrus, vegetables – grossing about $3000 to New York City.
National Apple Shipments
About 61.5 million bushels of fresh market apples remained to be shipped by U.S. producers as of March 1, 3% less than last year at the same time. The total is, however, 6% above the 5-year average of 58.2 million bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association.
Washington state accounted for 53.1 million bushels of the U.S. total still in storage. Michigan had 3.9 million bushels, New York 3.3 million bushels and Pennsylvania 762,000 bushels.
Washington apples from the Yakima Valley – grossing about $6700 to New York City.
The latest forecast Florida citrus shipments shows increases for grapefruit and tangerines, a decline in tangelo volume, but a steady movement for oranges, which is a turn around of recent reports.
The reversal follows declines of the Sunshine State’s citrus loadings since the USDA first began reporting this season’s surveys last November. In its February report, USDA estimates the state’s volume on grapefruit and tangerines will increase by 3percent each while tangelos are reported to plunge by 20 percent. While white grapefruit production remains consistent to the January forecast at 4.5 million equivalent cartons, the USDA increased red grapefruit volume by 500,000 boxes to 12.5 million equivalent cartons.
About 19 percent of white grapefruit and 36 percent of colored fruit has been harvested. Early tangerine volume remains unchanged while the honey tangerine volume was incresed 100,000 cartons to 1.7 million boxes. Midseason oranges and late season valencia oranges remain unchanged at 115 million equivalent cartons. Navel production is estimated at 1.9 million cartons, consistent with previous reports.
Growers are 87 percent finished harvesting navels, which ship predominantly fresh, while 75 percent of production of the early and midseason rows has completed harvesting. Tangelo forecast has been cut by 200,000 boxes to 800,000 cartons.
Although the majority of Florida’s oranges go through processed channels, 65 percent percent of its navels, 40 percent of its grapefruit and 63 percent of its tangerines are shipped fresh. About 10 percent of the state’s 136 million equivalent cartons of citrus ship fresh.
Central Florida citrus – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
Florida citrus shipments continue to decline, with a disease known as citrus greening being the primary culprit, according the the latest USDA forecast. The shipping estimate shows continuing declines in Florida citrus production, which includes grapefruit as well as oranges and tangerines.
In a Jan. 10 report, the USDA predicts the state’s loadings of oranges, grapefruit and tangerines will decline from one to six percent. All orange volume is now estimated at 115 million equivalent-cartons, down five percent from the December forecast and 14 percent less than last season.
Valencia shipments are off six percent non-valencia oranges — which include early and mid-seasons — declined four percent, with navels decreasing by 200,000 cartons to 1.9 million boxes.
White grapefruit loads dropped one percent from the previous month’s estimate to 4.5 million cartons with the larger-produced color grapefruit unchanged.
For tangerines, loadings dropped six percent with early season fallglo and sunburst tangerines accounting for the 200,000 carton decline. Honey tangerines are seen as remaining unchanged at 1.6 million cartons. Tangelo production remains at 1 million cartons.
Citrus greening has been described by one ag official as “an unprecedented situation dealing with this disease and today’s crop estimate only emphasizes how important it is for research to uncover a solution.”
Though a majority of the state’s oranges ship to processed channels, nearly 70 percent of its navels, about half of its grapefruit and two-thirds of its tangerines ship fresh.
Though a majority of the state’s oranges ship to processed channels, nearly 70 percent of its navels, about half of its grapefruit and two-thirds of its tangerines ship fresh.
Florida citrus, vegetables and strawberries – grossing about $2800 to New York City.
Numbers are still vague, but one thing is for certain, California citrus shipments will be down this season. Florida is facing a similar situation, but for different reasons.
San Joaquin Valley citrus packers have hired extra workers for inspecting fruit as they try to separate the good from the bad after a freeze last month. Citrus industry officials are reluctant to put a percentage on the damage from nearly a dozen days of subfreezing temperatures, but some citrus packers are estimating damage at between 30 and 50 percent for the entire industry.
This year’s crop was only 15 percent harvested before the freeze hit. At the time it was estimated to be 88 million cartons, down slightly from the previous year.
California citrus and produce – grossing about $4700 to Chicago.
Florida Citrus Shipments
Florida fresh fruit shipments have declined more than 20 percent so far this season because of crop declines, smaller fruit sizes and a later start to the harvesting season.
Total fresh shipments had fallen 24.5 percent December 15, compared with the same point in the 2012-13 season and almost 30 percent compared with 2011-12. Grapefruit shipments have dropped 23.4 percent since last season, fresh oranges 25 percent and tangerines, tangelos and other specialty varieties by 26 percent.
Fresh citrus represents a much smaller segment of the Florida citrus industry, dominated by juice processing, but it is particularly important in Polk County, the top producer of tangerines and tangelos and home to three of the state’s 10 largest packinghouses in Dundee, Haines City and Lake Wales.