Cara Cara orange
USDA reports that the initial 2026-27 California Navel orange forecast is 84.0 million cartons, higher than average over the past decade.
Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 388, up 3 percent from the previous year. Fruit set in Tulare County is 421 per tree, higher than average. The average diameter from the survey was 2.176 inches, down less than 1 percent from the previous year.
Bearing acreage of navels is estimated at 109,000, which results in a forecasted yield of 771 cartons per acre. Bearing acres of navels are down from 140,000 in 2020 to 109,000 acres today.Yet growers are producing more fruit on the same piece of dirt in part because trees are planted more densely.
CARA CARA PRODUCTION FORECAST
Cara Cara variety production is forecast at 13.0 million cartons. Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 312, up 8 percent from the previous year. The average diameter from the survey was 2.231 inches, up less than 1 percent from the previous year. Bearing acreage is estimated at 15,000, which results in a yield of 867 cartons per acre Bearing acreage of this tangy variety has more than doubled since 2020.
Mandarin Forecast
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), released its 2026/2027 California Mandarin Objective Measurement Report.The initial estimate for Tango and W. Murcott Afourer varieties is 38 million 40-lb. cartons, up 5 million cartons from last year’s estimate.
Fruit set is down 2% from last year at 493 per tree.
Diameter is up less than 1% from last year at 1.365 inches.
Bearing acreage is estimated at 36,000, which results in a yield of 1,056 40-lb. cartons per acre.
This is the fourth year of the Mandarin production forecast.