REEDLEY, CA — Fruit World, a family-owned, grower-shipper of organic and conventional fruit, is expecting a robust citrus season, particularly for this year’s organic lemon crop.
Good volumes of organic lemons from California’s desert region are anticipated through early March. Fruit World will also have diverse citrus shipments throughout the season, including organic and conventional mandarins, organic oranges, and organic specialty citrus such as sweet limes and Minneola tangelos.
“This year’s organic lemon crop is looking very strong—both in terms of volume and quality—and we’re seeing exceptional taste, appearance, and juiciness,” shared Bianca Kaprielian, Fruit World co-founder and CEO. There will be good desert, with its Central Valley ranches filling out availability through May.
Fruit World also expects a strong organic specialty citrus program this year. “This is our second year offering organic sweet limes, and we are already delivering promotable volumes which should last into December,” Kaprielian added.
Fruit World’s flagship mandarin program will kicked off in early November, starting with stem & leaf Satsumas and their proprietary Early Dulce mandarin variety. Organic Satsumas and Clementines started in November, with additional varieties available into April.
A lighter than typical season is expected for mandarins this year, a concern seen industry-wide due to excessive heat in May and June paired with last year’s large crop set affecting this year’s bloom.
The company has already started shipping the organic Rio Red grapefruit variety. It’s California-grown Rio Reds are top-notch quality and have beautiful interior color. There has been strong demand, partly due to last season’s freeze in Mexico and Texas which affected the overall grapefruit supply.
Navel oranges started shipping at the end of October, followed by Minneola tangelos in early December, with the season rounding out with Cara Caras and blood oranges starting in January.
As they plan for the future, Fruit World is expanding their specialty citrus program by planting organic mandarinquats, kumquats, lemonade lemons and more that will be available in upcoming seasons. The company also has a significant amount of mandarin and navel acreage in transition from conventional to organic, including heirloom navels in their second year of transition, so coming years should see increased organic volume.
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About Fruit World
Fruit World grows and ships fruit in California—including organic and conventional citrus, organic grapes, organic stone fruit.