Global consumption of orange juice will drop by 2 percent this year, part of an overall 15 percent decline in four years, says USDA. The semiannual “Citrus: World Markets and Trade” report says U.S. consumption will drop by 7 percent, reflecting the impact of citrus greening disease on orange groves in Florida, the largest citrus state.
U.S. orange juice production will tumble by 13 percent this year, to 383,000 tonnes. Consumption would be much larger at 625,000 tonnes. As usual, there will be large imports, mostly from Brazil, to augment the domestic supply. “Consumption and imports are forecast down … due to the drop in production and less juice from Brazil,” said USDA.
Brazil grows one-third of the oranges in the world, followed in importance of production by China, the EU and the United States, which grows 12 percent of the world total. Hot weather in Brazil last September and October significantly damaged fruit settings, said USDA, so output will drop by 14 percent from the previous season. “Oranges for processing are down sharply” and orange juice exports will be markedly lower.