This year's orange crop should be larger than last season, but agriculture department estimates place it below yields for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 harvests.
The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture's January estimate shows Florida groves should produce 140,000 boxes of oranges this season. That's down about 2 percent from December's outlook, but 5 percent ahead of the 2009-10 season.
The outlook for Valencia oranges – the state's dominant variety – also dropped from December projections to 73,000 boxes from 75,000 boxes.
The 2007-08 season yielded 86,700 boxes of oranges. Growers produced 77,900 boxes the following year.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Tampa Bay Online (Tampa, FL).
