USDA reported that the December freeze cut Navel, Valencia and Lemon harvest estimates but a had a smaller effect on tangerines
Oranges– The 2013 – 2014 California Navel orange forecast is 84.0 million cartons, down
4.5 percent from both the October forecast and last season’s crop. The 2013-14 navel orange
harvest began in late October. A significant freeze in early December across the California
Central Valley impacted much of the citrus fruit. The 2013-2014 Valencia orange forecast is
23.0 million cartons, down 8 percent from both the October 2013 forecast and 2012-2013 crop,
respectively.
Lemons
– The 2013 – 2014 California lemon forecast is 40.0 million cartons, down 7.0 percent
from the October forecast and down 4.8 percent from last season’s final production.
Tangerines
– The 2013 – 2014 California tangerine forecast (including mandarins and tangelos)
is 26.4 million cartons. Production is up 1.5 percent from last season’s crop, but down
2.2 percent from the October forecast. In November, Satsumas, Fairchilds, and Clementines
were harvested in Southern California.
Grapefruit
– The 2013 – 2014 California grapefruit forecast is 8.0 million cartons, unchanged
from the October forecast and from last season’s crop. Significant freeze in early December
across the California Central Valley impacted much of the citrus fruit, although lemons were
least affected. The extent of freeze damage is not presently known.