California Citrus Mutual (CCM) announced Dec. 20 that the 2021/22 navel and mandarin estimates will be down 20% for navels and 45% for mandarins.
The initial navel estimate was 70 million boxes, which was already down 14% of last season’s utilized total. And last year’s estimate didn’t include about 4% of the crop which didn’t get picked or packed.
Several factors conspired to drop the navel and mandarin estimates for the current season, said Casey Creamer, president and CEO of CCM. He said this season will have the lowest volume in over a decade.
First, Creamer said citrus trees were stressed because of a later season last year. The navel season did not wrap up until August. In contrast, this season’s navel harvest will end in June. Leaving fruit on the tree later into the season affected this year’s production, he said.
Second, market conditions extended the season. The size of the crop was a factor. This year’s smaller crop should move more quickly, Creamer said.
Third, citrus seasons are cyclical. Citrus trees bear a larger crop every other year. So, the off year sees a smaller crop.
Finally, Creamer said this season’s crop has a good sugar to acid ratio. The fruit is eating well and should satisfy consumers.
