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Orange crop totals 169.7 million boxes
TCPalm – July 12, 2008
Florida’s 2007-2008 orange crop finished at 169.7 million boxes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday in its final citrus report of the season.
The crop was up 32 percent from the 2006-2007 season.
“This was a pretty good rebound year,” Michael W. Sparks, executive vice president/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said in a press release.
The recent rains bode well for next season, he said, but the industry faces challenges such as a disease called citrus greening.
The 169.7 million boxes are made up of 83.5 million boxes of Early-Mids and Navels and 86.2 million boxes of Valencias.
The Florida citrus industry saw a decline in orange production from 230 million boxes to 129 million boxes during the five-year period between the 2001-2002 season and the 2006-2007 season. This reduction was due in large part to the effects of hurricanes, development and pests and diseases such as citrus canker and greening.
Other report highlights:
•¤Grapefruit increased from 26.5 million boxes to 26.6 million boxes.
•¤Tangelos remained unchanged at 1.5 million boxes as did tangerines at 5.5 million boxes.
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