Latest News From California/Arizona Citrus

California citrus production will take a step back in the 2021-22 season, government reports indicate.

For Delano, Calif.-based Wonderful Citrus, the California mandarin season kicks off in November when Wonderful Halos return to stores, said Dave Rooke, senior vice president of sales.

The severe drought is contributing to what could be a decline in output for California citrus in 2021-22, industry leaders say.

Johnston Farms, Edison, Calif., is adding capacity to pack more satsuma mandarins during the peak season, said Derek Vaughn, citrus sales manager.

Fowler Packing Co. Inc., Fresno, Calif. will debut its Peelz mandarin brand in November, according to a news release.

The citrus industry in California’s Ventura County is going to the dogs.

The future looks bright for California’s lemon crop as consumption increases and consumers discover the health benefits and versatility of the fruit, grower-shippers say.

Mandarins continue to gain popularity throughout the U.S., grower-shippers say.

California’s navel orange growers hope that a projected dip in volume of 7% or more will help them recover from the 2018-19 problem-plagued season.

Check out the news from companies featured in The Packer's California/Arizona Citrus shipping profile.

Cara caras, blood oranges and other specialty citrus varieties are generating bigger followings each year, grower-shippers in California say.

Delano, Calif.-based Wonderful Citrus says it has taken a giant step forward with its recent acquisition of a major Florida grower-shipper.

As with other citrus production this year, mandarin volume out of California is expected to be down, growers say. But the category continues to explode in sales, often at the expense of navel oranges.

Mulholland Citrus, an Orange Cove, Calif.-based citrus grower shipper of primarily mandarins, is joining the Sunkist Growers Inc. cooperative.

A lighter lemon crop is expected this year out of California and Arizona, according to growers and industry officials.

California’s citrus industry is about to step up the fight against its major threat: huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening disease.

California is forecasting 70 million cartons of navel oranges in 2017-18, of which 68 million will come out of the Central Valley, according to the latest estimate from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.