January 10, 2003

FLORIDA: The forecast of avocados for certified shipments is increased 50,000 bushels to 1,150,000 bushels. The original forecast last August was 1,050,000 bushels.

  If realized, this will be 29 percent more than last season's 891,000 bushels shipped and the largest crop since the 1,300,000 bushels in the 1989-90 season. Shipments through December totaled 1,126,200 bushels. Weekly shipments are declining seasonally.

  An updated tree count conducted in October and released in December indicates continued planting of avocado trees in Miami-Dade County. There are now 6,675 total acres, up from 6,288 two years ago. There are over 600 acres that were planted since 1997.

CALIFORNIA: Shipments through December 30 (two months into the new season) total 161,200 bushel equivalents, greatly reduced from the previous season to the same date which totaled over 400,000 bushels. A larger crop (8,312,000 bushels) is forecast for the season.

FLORIDA: Estimated certified shipments of avocados, 2002-03 season, with comparisons - Season: April 1 - March 31
Season	Shipments through December	Remaining to be shipped	Total shipments
	Bushels
Certified:
1992-93	274,700	9,300	284,000
1993-94	156,400	18,600	175,000
1994-95	711,500	67,500	779,000
1995-96	698,700	45,300	744,000
1996-97	830,300	87,700	918,000
1997-98	923,200	14,800	938,000
1998-99	831,400	59,600	891,000
1999-00	829,900	13,100	843,000
2000-01	954,600	50,400	1,005,000
2001-02	859,700	31,300	891,000
Estimated:
2002-03	1,126,200	23,800	1,150,000

CALIFORNIA: Estimated avocado shipments, 2002-03 season, with comparisons - Season: November 1 - October 31
Variety	2001-02	2002-03 season
	Total shipments	Shipments through December 30	Remaining to be shipped	Estimated total shipments
	Bushels 1/
Fuerte	80,000	3,700	82,300	86,000
Hass	7,440,000	128,100	7,547,900	7,676,000
Other	480,000	29,400	520,600	550,000
Total	8,000,000	161,200	8,150,800	8,312,000
1/ Pounds converted to bushels at 50 pound equivalents.