The 2013/14 California navel orange crop is forecast to come in at 88m (18kg) cartons, down 2 per cent on the previous season, according to an initial forecast from the California Agricultural Statistics Service (CASS).
The forecast is based on the results of the 2013/14 objective measurement survey from CASS, which was conducted from 13 July to 2 September.
While volumes are set to decline slightly, fruit sizing is forecast to be strong, with growers expected to have their largest fruit since 2005.
Survey data indicated a fruit set per tree of 265, which is below the five-year average of 315. The average diameter on 1 September was 2.338 inches (6.07cm), above the five-year average of 2.244 inches (5.7cm), and the largest since 2004/05.
The Central Valley grows the vast majority of the nation’s navel oranges, with an estimated 85m cartons of this year’s crop expected to come from the region. Picking is some way off, with the fruit on the trees still green.
