August 12, 2002

FLORIDA: The forecast of avocados for certified shipments for the 2002-03 season is 1,050,000 bushels. This is 18 percent more than the 891,000 bushels shipped in the previous season and the highest amount since before Hurricane Andrew struck ten years ago.

  Estimated shipments through August 5 total 337,300 bushels, the most to the first of August in many seasons. Maturity levels and fruit sizes are advanced, possibly because of above normal rainfall.  Bearing acres (trees planted in 1998 and earlier) are estimated at 6,000 acres. This is only slightly more than last season's 5,900 acres.

CALIFORNIA: Shipments through August 5 total 6,531,000 bushel equivalents, slightly less than the previous season to date. The total harvest is estimated to be about 1,000,000 bushels less than last season.

FLORIDA:   Certified shipments of avocados, 2002-2003 season, with comparisons - Season: April 1 - March 31
Season	Shipments through August 5	Remaining to be shipped	Total shipments
	Bushels
Certified:
1992-93	133,100	150,900	284,000
1993-94	3,100	171,900	175,000
1994-95	92,800	686,200	779,000
1995-96	92,200	651,800	744,000
1996-97	123,400	794,600	918,000
1997-98	230,800	707,200	938,000
1998-99	163,800	727,200	891,000
1999-00	159,600	683,400	843,000
2000-01	218,100	786,900	1,005,000
2001-02	225,800	665,200	891,000
Estimated:
2002-03	337,300	712,700	1,050,000

CALIFORNIA:   Estimated avocado shipments, 2001-02 season, with comparisons - Season: November 1 - October 31
Variety	2000-01 season		2001-02 season
	Total shipments		Shipments through August 5	Remaining to be shipped	Estimated total shipments
	Bushels 1/
Fuerte	157,000		81,000	0	81,000
Hass	7,737,000		6,014,000	866,000	6,880,000
Other	553,000		436,000	118,000	554,000
Total	8,447,000		6,531,000	984,000	7,515,000
1/ Pounds converted to bushels at 50 pound equivalents.