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5-29-09
The July/June 2009/10 orange harvest in Brazil's Sao Paulo state, which grows the
bulk of the crop in the top world exporter of orange juice, should reach 352
million 40.8 kg boxes, down from 354 million last season, the state agriculture
secretariat said on Wednesday.
The secretariat had previously estimated last season's 2008/09 production at 360
million boxes but issued the revised lower figure of 354 million on Wednesday.
In a statement, it cited adverse climatic conditions as a reason for the fall,
cutting the yield per tree by 1.6 percent to 1.84 boxes though the planted area
would remain unchanged in the state.
It said 81 percent or 285 million boxes would be destined for juice production.
Associtrus, an association of orange producers in Brazil, has offered a lower
estimate of 245 million boxes for the 2009/10 harvest and says it disagrees with
the methodology the secretariat uses to make estimates.
The Brazilian orange industry refers to the harvest in two different ways. In
industrial terms, the current harvest is the 2009/10 campaign -- which begins
harvesting and processing this year, mostly in the second half, and winds up
early next year.
The campaign is referred to as the 2008/09 agricultural harvest as its
development began last year and is being harvested now.
Brazil's orange growers face a constant battle against a host of diseases and
pests which prey on the trees. Containing and finding a cure for greening, a
bacterial disease which arrived in 2004 has become a top priority for the
industry.
The disease spoils trees' fruit and kills the plant in about two years. It is
spread by the citrus psyllid or jumping plant lice, making it difficult to
contain.
(Reporting by Roberto Samora; Writing by Peter Murphy; Editing by Marguerita
Choy)
((peter.murphy@thomsonreuters.com; tel +55 11 5644 7736; Reuters Messaging:
peter.murphy.reuters.com@reuters.net))