Mixed signals are being put out over the size of the 2009/10 California navel crop, with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicting an 80m carton crop but others pegging it nearer to 74m.
An estimate by the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service said earlier in the month that the final figure would rise by around 16 per cent on 2008/09's total.
However, some industry members, such as Joel Nelson of California Citrus Mutual, have disputed the forecast, saying that it is distorted by the inclusion of niche varieties such as blood oranges, and that it includes non-bearing, transitional acreage as bearing acreage.
'Those numbers don't make sense,' Mr Nelson told The Packer. 'We just don't see it on the trees.'
However, despite divided opinion on the size of the crop, Mr Nelson said that fruit quality and size is set to be good this season.
'We should have sweet fruit, that's for sure,' he said. Fruit is round, with few blemishes, and it's on the big size according to measurements.'
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