The orange crop fell 6% from the previous season.
The 1984-85 harvest, which is about 85% complete, is expected to yield 159.65 million boxes, a slight increase from the May forecast, the Agriculture Department said. After a harvest of 225.2 million boxes in 1982-83, U.S. production last year dropped to 169.3 million boxes. California’s orange crop was indicated at 53.1 million boxes, about 10% more than last season. The Arizona harvest was estimated at 2.55 million boxes, a 42% increase over the 1983-84 crop. This year’s Florida crop was indicated at 104 million boxes, an 11% decline from 1983-84’s 116.7 million boxes. The quantity of oranges in a box varies from a net weight of 75 pounds per box in California and Arizona to 85 pounds in Texas and 90 pounds in Florida, the report said.
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