Citrus growers and agriculture officials have their collective fingers crossed.

The severe cold weather engulfing the state has the Central Valley’s entire citrus crop in danger.

Agriculture Commissioner Marilyn Kinoshita emailed a letter Wednesday requesting that packers voluntarily wait 48 hours before shipping fruit harvested on or after Dec. 11 to allow county staff to assess the fruit.

But so far, the damage has been low-to-moderate, Gavin Iacono, deputy agriculture commissioner of Tulare County, said.

Samples of navel oranges, lemons and mandarins were taken Friday from all over the county, and those pieces of fruit were cut open and inspected Monday.

Overall, they showed minimal damage, Iacono said.

Two samples of navels did have major damage, though. One of those came from an orchard southwest of Dinuba, while the other came from Terra Bella.

However, in both of those cases, the orange groves were unprotected, Iacono added.

“We’re not saying there’s more [significantly-damaged fruit] out there,” Iacono said. “We’re saying those two [samples] were in the worst shape.”

Another group of samples was picked Monday, and those pieces of fruit will be examined on Friday.

This second study could show a “progression” of damage to citrus crops, Iacono said, simply because they have been exposed to the bitter cold for a longer period.

Iacono said, “We’re hoping tonight is the last night of below-freezing weather.”

He said the lows should be in the upper 20s. Then the cold snap should subside. “We’ve had enough of this,” he said of the weather conditions of the last few days.

Valencia and navel oranges accounted for about $655 million of Tulare County’s total agriculture production last year, Iacono said. The county’s entire citrus crop — comprised of oranges, tangerines, lemons and other commodities — came close to $1 billion.

Source - http://www.thedinubasentinel.com/