Ample supplies, increased interest set citrus up for a strong season

Consumers typically turn to citrus products to load up on vitamin C and other nutrients during the winter cold and flu season, but this year, suppliers hope they’ll stock up on even more grapefruit, oranges, mandarins and lemons to keep COVID-19 at bay.

“We learned that the vitamin C content and shelf-ability of citrus played a significant role in increasing consumer demand for the category,” said Christina Ward, director of global brand marketing for Sunkist Growers Inc., Valencia, Calif.

“Citrus is an excellent choice for healthy eating all of the time,” she said.

The citrus category overall is seeing a rebirth, with a renewed demand for functional benefits from food, with specific attention to vitamin C, added Larry Goens, senior director at Delano, Calif.-based Wonderful Citrus.

Read more: Citrus in the spotlight — Health halo boosts sales amid COVID-19

There should be plenty of citrus available this season, though volume may be down in a couple of categories compared to last year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’ National Agricultural Statistics Service, in its January citrus crop forecast for California, Florida and Texas, reported that there will be an estimated 106.5 million boxes of oranges packed in the U.S. during the 2020-21 season, though volume likely will be down from 121.9 million boxes packed the previous season.

• The grapefruit packout should be up slightly — 13.8 million boxes compared to 13 million in 2019-20.
• Tangerines and tangelos will be up as well — 24.1 million boxes compared to 23 million last season.
• The estimate for lemons is down to 25.9 million boxes compared to 27.5 in 2019-20.

“We are experiencing one of the best-quality seasons across all varieties. Growing conditions have been ideal with warm days and cool nights, delivering premium quality and flavor profiles.”

In California, Wonderful Halos mandarins remain one of the top-selling citrus brands for Wonderful Citrus, said Adam Lazo, senior director of sales.

“Our Halos Quality Standard ensures consistent and superior taste quality year-over-year,” he said.

Volume will be about the same as last season. The season will continue through May. 

“Citrus is an excellent choice for healthy eating all of the time.”

Besides Halos, the company offers a full citrus portfolio that includes navels, early navels, valencia oranges, ruby red grapefruit and lemons from Texas; red grapefruit, cara cara oranges, blood oranges, minneolas and lemons from California; and limes from Mexico.

“We are experiencing one of the best-quality seasons across all varieties,” Lazo said.

“Growing conditions have been ideal with warm days and cool nights, delivering premium quality and flavor profiles.”

In Florida, Peter Chaires, executive vice president at Maitland-based Florida Citrus Packers, expects a duplicate of last season.

“We saw good spring and winter movement last year, and I think we’re looking to see that now,” he said.

There is good demand for oranges and mandarins, he said, and valencias should start at the end of January.

Read more: Sell-More-Citrus Merchandising

Growing conditions for grapefruit have been good, with cool mornings and evenings.

“Grapefruit has been eating quite well this year,” Chaires said.

Even white grapefruit is moving back into the market alongside colored grapefruit.

“We are seeing some promotion on white grapefruit, which we haven’t seen in a while,” he said.

Some restaurants in Florida were shut down due to the coronavirus, but others have survived by adding takeout and operating with limited capacity.

“By and large, the restaurant business here in Florida seems to be moving pretty well,” he said.

Citrus greening disease — huanglongbing, or HLB — remains a challenge in Florida, but farmers are “becoming better growers by necessity,” he said.

“We are seeing some promotion on white grapefruit, which we haven’t seen in a while.”

In Texas, the Mission-based Texas Valley Citrus Committee still was packing early oranges during the first part of January but will switch to late varieties in February, said manager Ted Prukop.

He doesn’t expect a significant change in volume.

“Right now, we’re running pretty much neck and neck with last year,” he said.

Grapefruit should continue until mid-April or May but could have some cosmetic damage as a result of Hurricane Hanna that hit in late July.

Read more: Grapefruit fun facts for point-of-sale material

Quality on the inside, though, actually may be better than last year, Prukop said.

Like grower-shippers throughout the U.S., Texas suppliers are coping with COVID-19.

Lone Star Citrus Growers in Mission has an exceptional COVID-19 response plan, said April Flowers, marketing director.

“We have not only implemented a large number of both engineering controls and administrative controls, but we have focused heavily on educating our employees about everything from proper hygiene, to where to get tested for free, to how to properly quarantine,” she said.