The California navel orange crop is set to fall 35 per cent this year, with fruit size and taste thought to have improved from last year's offering, according to producers in California's San Joaquin valley.
The Fresno Bee reported that growers are optimistic of a good season as long as the crop steers clear of major freezes and an infestation of the Asian citrus psyllid – a carrier of the devastating Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease.
'Right now, things look pretty good,' Jim Marderosian, president of Bee Sweet Citrus, told the newspaper. 'Last year, we came off of one of the largest crops in history, so a smaller crop is not going to hurt us - it may actually help.'
Growers remain wary of the threat of the Asian citrus psyllid, however, acknowledging the impact that it could have on the industry.
'We have faced a lot of bugs and diseases, but this is the most threatening,' said Mark Wootton, senior vice-president of corporate relations and administration for Sunkist Growers.
In September, the United States Department of Agriculture had forecast the 2008/09 Californian navel orange crop to drop 34 per cent on the previous season, projecting a fall to 32m field boxes compared with 48.5m boxes last season.
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