Fresno, CA
By Eric Anderson
3.20.13
Valencia orange production is expected to continue to decline in California this year.
The number of oranges available this spring and summer will decrease although industry officials say winter freezes have not caused significant damage.
Acreage has been declining as growers switch to more lucrative varieties according to Bob Blakely, Director of Industry Relations for California Citrus Mutual, as reported by the Capital Press.
The mid-January cold snap that affected key growing regions in the Central Valley appeared to cause only minimal damage to citrus crops, according to Citrus Mutual.
This year’s production is expected to be 25 million cartons of Valencia oranges, down from last year’s figure of 27 million, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.
