Florida orange production increased slightly while grapefruit production held steady in the last forecast of the 2016/17 season, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the US Department of Agriculture.
The July report projected the state’s orange crop increased by 200,000 boxes to 68.7m boxes for the campaign, while the grapefruit crop held steady at 7.8m boxes.
“Ending the season on a positive note is a big deal because it shows there is still investment in Florida’s signature crop,' said Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. 'It takes quite serious effort to produce every single piece of fruit. Every additional box shows promise for Florida Citrus.'
The first crop forecast of the 2017/18 season takes place in October.
