<p> Crop declines, smaller fruit sizes, and a later start to the harvesting season are affecting fresh fruit shipments from Florida. While reports claim that there’s a 24.5% drop in shipments compared to last year, growers tell AndNowUKnow that it’s still too early to tell. According to The Ledger, grapefruit shipments have dropped 23.4% since last season, with fresh oranges down 25% and tangerines, tangelos, and other specialty varieties by 26%.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Mike Garavaglia, Chief Financial Officer at The Packers of Indian River Inc. in Fort Pierce and a member of the Florida Citrus Commission, believes that timing is a significant issue this season. Last season, other packinghouses started shipping as early as September. However, because this season’s fruit was late in reaching maturity standards, most weren’t able to harvest until the middle of October.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Projections from the USDA’s crop report suggested that the orange crop is at 121 million boxes, a 9% decline compared to 2012-13 and the lowest since the freeze-damaged 1989-90 crop. Grapefruit is projected at 16.7 million boxes.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Aside from the crop declines and the late start to the season, wholesale prices are being affected as well because of the smaller fruit sizes. Not only does it take more fruit to fill up the standard 1.6 bushel box, but “retailers won’t pay as much for smaller fruit,” says Garavaglia. The average wholesale price for a carton of No. 1 grade white grapefruit through December 15 has dropped by 4.7%, while the red grapefruit price has declined by 16%, according to The Ledger.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The external appearance of the fruit may also be affecting sales in the category, as wind and heavy rains earlier this year have scarred the fruit.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we follow the citrus season.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.theledger.com/article/20131223/NEWS/131229696?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar" target="_new"> The Ledger </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
