Organic citrus volume is up for Reedley, Calif.-based Valliwide Organics, says owner Mason Parkinson.
“Citrus supply this year is quite a bit higher than last year and more in line with the 2020-21 crop yield/volumes,” Parkinson said. “Our page mandarin crop, which we are getting into now, is a little bit light, but we have been getting great promotional-level volumes on clementine mandarins and expect that to continue into our tango, murcott and golden nugget crops.”
The sizing of navel fruit has been something of a surprise and somewhat smaller than expected, he said.
“Most years we are waiting on fruit color/sugar to harvest, and this year we have been having to monitor the fields closely to try and let them grow as much as possible without affecting fruit quality,” Parkinson said.
The peak size of cara cara citrus harvested in mid-January was 72 -count fruit, but Parkinson said there have been more 88 and 113 sizes than is preferred.
Retail promotion opportunities abound in the months ahead, he said.
“For us, the tango mandarin and golden nugget mandarins are two great promotion periods,” he said. “They are two of the best-tasting mandarin varieties in my opinion, and we will have very promotable volumes for February and March.”
New for Valliwide this year, Parkinson said, is the company’s first crop of organic grapefruit. The crop will bridge the gap between when Texas ends and imports start, Parkinson said.
“These are new plantings, so volume this year will be limited, but over the next few years we will have one of the fastest-growing organic citrus programs in the central valley here,” he said.
