California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, California citrus growers
are expected to harvest a smaller amount of Valencia oranges, 30 million cartons
of oranges from the 2008-2009 growing season. That’s 6 percent below last season’s
estimated total of 32 million cartons.

California’s Valencia crop pales in comparison to that of Florida, where, despite bad
weather this year, growers are still expected to harvest 73 million cartons, according
to the USDA.

Thin-skinned Valencias are used mainly for juice while the thicker-skinned, seedless
navel oranges are sold into the fresh fruit market of which California is noted for growing.

The most recent USDA survey indicates that the average fruit set is 435 oranges per tree
in California. Fruit sizes increased this year, with an average diameter of 2.587 inches.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.