Posts Tagged “California citrus shipments”
Sun Pacific Marketing Cooperative Inc. of Pasadena, CA was launched in the Central San Joaquin Valley in 1969. It is looking forward to a good citrus shipping season this year.
The firm’s product line includes navel oranges, lemons, Cuties brand mandarins, Tinkled Pink cara cara oranges and Vintage Sweet heirloom navels.
Sun Pacific also has some organic citrus items, including navels and Cuties.
Organic citrus volume is up year compared to the same time last year, and is led by organic grapefruit, easy-peel mandarins and navel oranges.
Quality is reported excellent this season for most of the company’s items, although sizing for oranges and lemons will be a bit smaller than last year.
The U.S. citrus crop looked promising in recent weeks with overall good quality for the 2024-25 shipping season.
Total U.S. volume of oranges was forecast at 60.3 million boxes, down slightly from 61.5 million boxes last season, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service January forecast, conducted in cooperation with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Grapefruit volume was forecast at 7.4 million boxes, down from 8.5 million last year, and the lemon forecast was at 27.5 million boxes, up slightly from 27.2 million last season.
In the tangerines/mandarins category, volume for the current season was estimated to be 25.3 million boxes, up from about 24 million boxes last year.
California Citrus Mutual of Exeter, CA reports a good crop this year.
California’s early-season navel oranges were smaller than usual because hot summertime temperatures extended into October.
Growers had to size-pick to meet market demand.
CCM reports average to slightly above-average rainfall in Northern California helped improve size a bit as the season progressed, but citrus, as well as other commodities, were a little on the smaller size.
The 2024-25 California Navel Orange Objective Measurement Report from the California Department of Food and Agriculture forecast the current season’s volume in the Golden State to be 78 million 40-pound cartons, up 2% from last year.
Florida Citrus Mutual of Lakeland, FL reports shipments are progressing. despite Hurricane Milton which blew across 70% of the state’s most productive citrus acreage in October. The Florida citrus industry remains in a recovery mode.
There’s not as much fruit available because of the hurricane, but the quality is good, he said. FCM reported.
USDA expected to see 7 million 90-pound boxes of valencia oranges out of Florida this season and 5 million boxes of non-valencias.
USDA forecast about 1 million 85-pound boxes of grapefruit from Florida, with about 500,000 boxes of specialty citrus, including lemons.
Texas, where red grapefruit accounts for up to 65% of the citrus crop, continues to rebound from a hurricane in 2020, a freeze in 2021 and a series of droughts, reports Texas Citrus Mutual of Mission, TX.
The crop is about 50% of average is.
Quality, size and prices are all good this year.
USDA forecast the Texas 2024-25 grapefruit crop at 1.2 million 80-pound boxes, down from about 1.8 million last year, and estimated the orange crop to be 900,000 90-pound boxes, down from about 1.1 million last year.
Pummelos are currently in season and being shipped to Bee Sweet Citrus customers. The shipper/packer is based in Fowler, CA.
In addition to pummelos, Bee Sweet Citrus also has domestic lemons, Meyer lemons, grapefruit and Golden Gem grapefruit available for customers. California-grown Navel oranges and mandarins will be available this month as well.
“Our team has been harvesting pummelos out of the Central Valley for about three weeks now,” said Bee Sweet Citrus Director of Harvesting and Grower Relations Randy Stucky. “Size structure has been slightly larger than last season, with excellent internal color and juice content.”
Scientifically referred to as Citrus maxima, pummelos are large green citrus fruits that can sometimes reach up to eight inches in diameter. The variety is native to Southeast Asia and is known for having thick rinds with bright reddish-pink internal hues. Often sweeter than most grapefruit varieties, pummelos can be eaten alone or used as an ingredient for various recipes.
“Most people are familiar with pummelos due to their large size and thick rind, but what truly makes them unique is their role in Asian communities,” said Bee Sweet Citrus Director of Communications Monique Mueller. “Pummelos symbolize good fortune, health and happiness, and many families consume them for good luck during the Lunar New Year.”
Bee Sweet Citrus recently shared that pummelos are now included in its premium variety line. The fruit’s bags, PLU stickers and cartons have been re-designed to celebrate their role in Asian communities, and the company can provide customers with various forms of point-of-sale material to complement the packaging.
California Citrus Mutual of Exeter, CA reports average volume is seen for the state’s citrus crop.
The non-profit association reports growing conditions for the winter citrus season have been ideal.
In the last decade, Mutual reports the state has seen a 13% decrease in navel acres planted and a 26% decrease in valencia acres, which is estimated to be between 25,000 acres and 28,000 acres.
As valencia and navel acreage declines in the state, they are being replaced by mandarins, which have increased by about 18,000 acres during that time.
Wonderful Citrus Cooperative of Delano, CA reports a strong summer citrus season with good quality which sets the state up for its winter season. Growth in mandarin shipments helped boost a strong summer shipping season.
Mandarins represent about 43% of all citrus sold at Wonderful.
The co-op expects a more normal winter citrus crop this season compared with last year’s crop. A Year ago there were quality problems with navels and sizing issues with mandarins. This year mandarins, lemons, navels should all have more normal supplies and quality.
California citrus growers are expecting average production volume for all products this season,
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) reports it depends on the variety, with
Navels being up about 5% from the prior season, which was one of the lowest seasons the industry has experienced.
Lemon volumes are expected to decrease. A January forecast by the USDA reduced the initial projected volume from 23 to 20 million boxes for the state.
The on going mandarin crop ongoing is projected to decline from 23 to 22 million boxes.
Heavy rains from last year, after years of drought, are resulting in excellent fruit sizes this year.
Compared to the last couple of years, CCM reports this season started better than anticipated.
Sunkist Growers of Valencia, CA is shipping a good volume supply of its year-round conventional and organic citrus in the winter months. It also is shipping specialty citrus during the winter.
These range from The Pink Orange, to the seedless sweetness and pink cara cara orange variety, blood oranges, and vitamin B9 rich minneola tangelos.
Sunkist also is shipping the more traditional navel oranges, lemons, California mandarins, grapefruit and organics.
Winter is the peak shipping season for Sunkist
This included a strong start to the California desert grapefruit category and increased volume in lemons.
Sunkist is generally recognized as the longest-standing fresh citrus cooperative in the nation.
Unprecedented rainfall and an invasion of tiny insects known as thrips are being blamed for an expected decrease in California citrus shipments this season.
The weather phenomenon disrupted typical citrus thrips timing in orchards and led to uncontrollable conditions in the fields, according to a California Citrus Mutual press release.
“It’s been an extremely challenging pest season for citrus growers,” says CCM President, Casey Creamer. “The industry did its absolute best in trying to control this unprecedented thrips season. Growers bear that cost while also facing the reality that the pest pressure will result in decreased returns in the marketplace.”
Reports from the California Citrus Mutual (CCM) Pest and Disease Task Force indicate some growers have experienced exterior fruit scarring on as much as 80% of the fruit on individual blocks, primarily affecting navels but with varying impacts to mandarins, lemons, and other citrus varieties.
The CCM Marketing Committee estimates 30% of the navel crop has thrips scarring and the utilized volume will be 8% to 15% under the previous season’s production due to thrips. The Committee also estimates the mandarin and lemon crops will also be down 5% compared to the previous season’s production.O
Visual effects from thrips have no effect on the interior fruit quality, taste, or texture. Consumers can still expect the same exceptional eating experience they are used to with California citrus with higher volumes of choice fruit. Fancy fruit, with minimal external scarring or damage, will be a premium commodity this season.
“Despite these challenges, our growers remain optimistic about the fruit quality on the tree this season. The overabundance of water has reservoirs full and has reinvigorated the groves after three years of extreme drought conditions,” says Creamer.
The USDA July 12 crop production report showed reductions in 2022-23 estimates for oranges, grapefruit and lemons but an increase for tangerines.
The July report said the U.S. all-orange forecast for the 2022-23 season is 2.52 million tons, down 1% from the previous forecast and down 26% from the 2021-22 final utilization. The Florida all-orange forecast, at 15.9 million boxes (714,000 tons), is up 1% from the previous forecast but down 62% from last season’s final utilization.
In Florida, early, midseason and navel varieties are forecast at 6.15 million boxes (277,000 tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but down 66% from last season’s final utilization. The Florida valencia orange forecast, at 9.70 million boxes (437,000 tons), is up 1% from the previous forecast but down 58% from last season’s final utilization.
The California all-orange forecast is 44 million boxes (1.76 million tons), down 2% from the previous forecast but up 13% from last season’s utilization, the report said. The California navel orange forecast is 37 million boxes (1.48 million tons), unchanged from the previous forecast but up 17% from last season’s utilization. The USDA said the California valencia orange forecast is 7 million boxes (280,000 tons), down 14% from the previous forecast and down 8% from last season’s utilization.
The Texas all-orange forecast, at 1.13 million boxes (48,000 tons), is up 8% from the previous forecast and “up significantly from last season’s utilization,” the report said.
California and Arizona citrus growers got off to a strong start in October and forecast a good performance for the 2022/23 season, predicting strong volumes of large fruit this winter.
USDA reports last season was down about 19%, but citrus growers in California and Arizona are optimistic. The California and Arizona citrus crop is anticipated to rebound from 2021/22’s off season.
Sunkist Growers of Valencia, CA reports this past season, California citrus had a shorter crop with most varieties. It is looking forward to a new season. Shipments of California-grown Sunkist Navel Oranges started in November, alongside the exceptionally large pummelo and Sunkist California Mandarins, followed by cara cara oranges, blood oranges and minneola tangelos.
Sunkist anticipates peak citrus volumes by January with all varieties.
At shipper/packer Bee Sweet Citrus of Fowler, CA, the company is citing larger-than-average navel oranges registering higher-than-normal Brix levels for this this time of year. The San Joaquin Valley operation notes citrus volume in California is slightly up compared to the 2021/22 citrus season, while Florida’s harvest is down substantially.
While Florida Department of Agriculture’s early estimates of the total crop damage for the state’s citrus region totaled over 80% of acres impacted, because Florida produces a very small segment of the overall fresh citrus market, Bee Sweet Citrus believes Florida’s hurricane impact will have a minimal effect on the California shipments.
California mandarin shipments expected to be far less than the previous season, with the 2021-22 volumes expected to be off by 45 percent compared to a year ago.
California Citrus Mutal also predicts total Navel orange loadings for the 2021-22 season will be down 20% from the previous season’s final numbers.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s 2021-22 California Navel Orange Objective Measurement Report, released on Sept. 10, 2021, the initial forecast for the navel orange crop was 70.0 million cartons, down 14% from the previous year’s total utilized production. Additionally, an estimated 4% of last season’s crop was not utilized, meaning it was not picked or sold.
Now several weeks into 2021-22 season, the CCM anticipates, based on current picking estimates, will be 20% below the prior season’s total utilized production and approximately 24% below the total crop size.
The drop in production is attributed to the previous season’s heavy crop and extended season. Due to the larger sized crop and other market conditions, fruit remained on the tree far longer than is typical, which negatively affected the current year’s crop size.
The CCM also estimates 2021-22 California mandarin shipments will be down 45% from the previous season’s exceptionally large crop.
The current navel and mandarin crops are forecast to go through May and June, respectively.
The 2021-22 season is shaping up to be far different than the previous season. Shippers extended last year’s season well into August.