SACRAMENTO – The USDA-NASS, Pacific Regional Field Office today released the crop production forecast for September. The latest survey, which was conducted during the last week of August and the first week of September, included the following commodities:
Oranges, Navel – California’s 2013-14 Navel orange forecast is 88.0 million 40.0-pound cartons, down 2 percent from last season. Of the total forecast, 85.0 million cartons are estimated in the Central Valley. The forecast is based on the Navel Orange Objective Measurement Survey conducted in the Central Valley. Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 265, down from last season, but the diameter is up from last year at 2.34 inches as of September 1.
Cotton – Upland cotton production in California is forecast at 310 thousand bales, down 39 percent from the 2012 crop. Harvested acreage is estimated at 92.0 thousand acres, down 35 percent from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 1,617 pounds per acre, up 2 percent from last month. The forecast for American Pima cotton production is 600 thousand bales, down 20 percent from the 2012 crop. Harvested acreage is forecast at 186 thousand acres, down 17 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 1,548 pounds per acre.
Rice – All rice production in California for 2013 is forecast at 46.1 million cwt., up 2 percent from the previous year. The yield forecast is 8,300 pounds per acre, unchanged from last month, but up 2 percent from last year. Planted and harvested acreages are forecast at 561 thousand and 556 thousand acres, respectively. As of September 1, nearly all of the rice acres had headed.
Corn – Corn for grain production in California for 2013 is forecast at 904 thousand tons, down 3 percent from last year’s crop, but unchanged from the August forecast. With harvested acreage forecast at 170 thousand acres, the yield is 5.32 tons per acre. Compared with the 2012 crop year, harvested acreage is down 6 percent, but the yield is up 3 percent.
Sugarcane – The 2013 production of sugarcane in Hawaii is forecast at 1.41 million tons, up 8 percent from the previous year, but unchanged from the August forecast. Harvested acreage is estimated at 17.5 thousand acres, up 1 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 80.8 tons per acre.
Sugarbeets – The 2013 California sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.10 million tons, unchanged from the August forecast, but up 2 percent from last season. With harvested acreage forecast at 24.5 thousand acres, the yield is 45.0 tons per acre.
Production forecasts are released on a monthly basis and do not reflect final production estimates. Late summer and fall harvests may change these estimates considerably. The next production forecast will be issued October 11, 2013.