California is on track to produce a record navel orange crop this season, with average fruit-size expected to be smaller than usual, according to an early industry forecast.
A US National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) survey, published on Friday, pegs the 2010-11 navel orange crop at 93m (40lb) cartons, well above volumes produced in the last four years.
The report said weather conditions and survey measurements both indicated a large crop this year.
A cool, wet spring, as well as a cool summer contributed to large fruit-set growth, the NASS report said.
Survey data indicated an above-average fruit set per tree of 418, well above the five-year average of 348. But diameter fellbelow the five-year average, it said.
Varieties forecast in this report include conventional, organic and specialty navel oranges, including Cara Cara and blood orange varieties.
The lion's share of the crop, some 90m cartons, will be grown in California's Central Valley region, NASS said.
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