California could be on track for the shortest navel orange crop in a decade, if initial predictions prove accurate.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in cooperation with the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, issued its first 2017/18 navel forecast of the year yesterday (12 September) projecting a 70m-carton crop, of which 68m cartons will come from the San Joaquin Valley.
Fruit diameter is forecast to be very large, which reflects the relatively poor fruit-set: the probable result of a heat wave or two that caused excessive fruit drop early in the growing period.
The start of the season is also expected to be somewhat late, paralleling most West Coast fruit crops (Washington Apples, California table grapes) this year.
Combined with what looks to be a devastated Florida citrus crop due to Hurricane Irma, California navel Fob prices are likely to start out very high and remain elevated throughout the season.
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