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Florida Orange Crop Estimates Down From Last Season

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By RUSSELL RAY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 7, 2008

TAMPA - Expect a smaller orange crop from Florida growers this season.

Facing skyrocketing fertilizer prices, a souring economy and lower orange juice sales, Florida growers, by some estimates, will produce an estimated 155 million boxes of citrus during the 2008-09 season. That's 9 percent less than last season, when the industry picked 170 million boxes of Florida citrus.

U.S. orange juice sales fell 4.5 percent during the 11 months that ended Aug. 30, according to a recent report on the Florida Department of Citrus Web site.

What's more, concern that the credit crisis and ailing economy will decrease demand for orange juice has caused prices to fall to about 84 cents a pound, down from more than $1 in September.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will release its first citrus crop forecast for the year Friday.

Reporter Russell Ray can be reached at (813) 259-7870.

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