The USDA predicts the country’s navel crop for the 2012-13 season should increase by around 5 per cent on last year with the bulk of production coming from the Central Valley.
According to a report by the department’s National Agricultural Statistics Services, production is forecast to reach 93m cartons, with 90m of these expected to come from the Central Valley.
This forecast is based on the results of the 2012-13 Navel Orange Objective Measurement Survey, which was conducted from 15 July to 3 September. Estimated fruit set per tree, fruit diameter, trees per acre, bearing acreage, and oranges per box were included in the statistical models used to estimate production.
The survey data suggested a fruit set per tree of 344 this season, above the five-year average of 324. The average diameter on 1 September, however, was 55.8mm, below the five-year average of 57.2mm.
No comments yet