US citrus fruits 2018 summary: citrus utilized production down 20 percent, value down 7

Citrus utilized production for the 2017-18 season totaled 6.13 million tons, down 20 percent from the 2016-17 season and 66 percent lower than the record high production of 17.8 million tons for the 1997-98 season. Florida accounted for 36 percent of total United States citrus production; California totaled 59 percent, and Texas and Arizona produced the remaining 5 percent.

Florida’s orange production, at 45.0 million boxes, is down 35 percent from the previous season. Grapefruit utilization in Florida, at 3.88 million boxes, is down 50 percent from last season’s utilization. Florida’s total citrus utilization decreased 37 percent from the previous season. Bearing citrus acreage, at 400,900 acres, is 9,800 acres below the 2016-17 season.

Utilized citrus production in California decreased 7 percent from the 2016-17 season. California’s all orange production, at 45.4 million boxes, is 6 percent lower than the previous season. Grapefruit production is down 9 percent from the 2016-17 season and tangerine and mandarin production is down 19 percent. Utilized production of citrus in Texas is up 9 percent from the 2016-17 season. Orange production is up 37 percent from the previous season but grapefruit production was unchanged. Lemon production in Arizona is down 35 percent from last season.

The value of the 2017-18 United States citrus crop decreased 7 percent from last season, to $3.28 billion (packinghouse- door equivalent). Total value of production for 2017-18 is lower for all citrus crops. Orange value of production decreased 9 percent from last season and grapefruit value is down 14 percent. Tangerine and mandarin value of production is 1 percent higher than last season but lemon value of production is down 6 percent. Beginning in 2016-2017, tangelos are included in tangerines and mandarins for Florida.

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 2017-18 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 2017-18 season will be published in the April 2019 Crop Production. …