Thanks to a tough 2018-2019 growing season, Texas citrus production was down more than 20 percent this year, Texas A&M Agrilife Service data shows.
With harvest just wrapping up, Juan Anciso, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Weslaco, said a lack of rain, smaller fruit and lower consumer demand made this season one citrus growers will try to forget. But this year’s chilly, wet spring has the next crop starting out from a tough spot, too.
Growers produced a bumper 2017-2018 crop and conditions last May showed promise for strong yields again this season, but Mother Nature didn’t cooperate. Conditions turned dry and then wet at inopportune times during the season.
“Summer was hard,” Anciso said. “There wasn’t enough rain and early fruit didn’t size up correctly. So yields were low, and then demand was down and didn’t seem like there was any positive movement on prices. It was just a tough year.”
Production last season was up 10 percent to 8.4 million boxes of grapefruit and oranges from 7.7 million during the previous season. Grapefruit makes up about 70 percent of citrus production in Texas, while oranges make up 30 percent.
Citrus acreage remained steady at about 28,000 acres, but production fell to 6.7 million boxes this season, more than a 20 percent decline from 2017-2018.
“There were a lot of things that contributed to the decline,” Anciso said. “Not enough rain, then it rained, and crews couldn’t get it. Prices weren’t great and yields were down. We’ve seen dips, and we can usually explain those, but this was way off.”
“It got down to 38 degrees Fahrenheit on March 4, which is when bloom is in full swing,” he said. “That’s too cold for those blooms. We’re wanting to be optimistic, but I have already been called out to assess some crop insurance claims.”
Still, the Texas’ citrus industry has been profitable overall the past decade despite some difficult years.
“We do get painful years. We went from a bumper crop to not very good yields,” Anciso said. “Things took a turn, but that is agriculture. And no one is surprised because, like everyone, we rely on weather, yields, and supply and demand. We’re just hoping next year will deliver a good crop and good prices.”
Source - https://www.news-journal.com
