Slight drop in Brazil’s orange production

Brazil’s 2022/23 orange crop is set to decline by 2% year-on-year to 405 million 40.8-kg boxes (MBx), equal to 16.52 million tons, according to USDA data. The forecast assumes normal weather conditions will prevail as of early-December 2022 to support fruit setting and development of citrus groves in the Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais commercial citrus belt. Total Brazilian FCOJ 65 Brix equivalent exports for MY 2022/23 are forecast at 1.04 million tons, similar to the revised figure for MY 2021/22. NFC exports for MY 2021/22 are estimated at 310,000 tons, 65 Brix equivalent, an increase of 15% compared to the previous season, primarily to supply the US market due to limited juice availability from Florida in the aftermath of hurricane Ian. Stock levels for MY 2022/23 are 13,000 tons, one of the citrus industry’s lowest levels ever reached.