date:Dec 13, 2012
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This decrease was not entirely unexpected as we have been hearing reports of severe fruit drop throughout the state, said Michael W. Sparks, executive VP/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. The dry weather coupled with intense disease pressure growers are facing is most likely causing the drop.
I anticipate the decrease in crop size will continue to put upward pressure on fruit pricing.
The Florida Valencia forecast of 79 million boxes is down 1 percent from October, but up 9 percent from the 201