Texas Crop And Weather Report Texas Citrus Growers Faced Difficult Growing Season

WESLACO – Texas citrus growers had a difficult 2018-2019 growing season, with production down more than 20 percent, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Dr. Juan Anciso, AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Weslaco, said harvest just wrapped up and that a lack of rain, smaller fruit and lower consumer demand made the season one citrus growers hope to forget.

Texas citrus growers produced a bumper 2017- 2018 crop, and conditions last May showed promise for strong yields this season, but Mother Nature didn’t cooperate. Conditions turned dry and then wet at inopportune times during the season.

“Summer was hard,” he 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.”

Anciso said 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.

(Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo)(Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo)

Texas citrus acreage remained steady at around 28,000 acres, but production fell to 6.7 million boxes this season, more than a 20 percent decline.

“There were a lot of things that contributed to the decline,” he 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.”

Anciso said weather conditions this spring could indicate a bad 2019-2020 harvest. Cold temperatures during peak bloom in early March may have knocked off considerable fruit sets.

“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.”

Anciso said the Texas’ citrus industry has been profitable overall the last decade following some difficult years.

“We do get painful years. We went from a bumper crop to not very good yields,” he 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.”