Larger Florida citrus crop expected

The USDA has published its initial crop forecast for the 2023/24 Florida citrus season, with numbers up in all categories. Total orange volumes are predicted to increase to 20.5m boxes from the 15.85m boxes packed in 2022/23, a campaign badly affected by hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Non-Valencia oranges are set to rise in volume from 6.15m boxes to 7.5m boxes, while Valencias will jump from 9.7m boxes last year to 13m boxes.

The grapefruit category should see a slight rise from 1.81m boxes to 1.9m boxes, made up of 1.65m boxes of white grapefruit and 250,000 boxes of red grapefruit. The USDA expects tangerine and tangelo volumes to climb from 480,000 boxes to 500,000 boxes this season.