Hot weather impacts fruit size, but improved external quality and minimal pest damage keep citrus outlook promising.
Sun Pacific Shippers is anticipating a robust citrus season with excellent quality across most of its product range.
However, the company expects oranges and lemons to be slightly smaller than the previous year, a change primarily attributed to an extended period of hot summer weather in Pasadena, California.
This heat caused sunburn on some of the fruit, leading to reduced sizes.
Despite these challenges, the overall external quality of the citrus has improved, and pest damage remains minimal compared to earlier seasons.
The company offers a wide variety of citrus, including navel oranges, lemons, Cuties brand mandarins, Tinkled Pink cara cara oranges, Vintage Sweet heirloom navels, and a selection of organic products that have shown strong performance.
Company President Al Bates highlighted that the high quality of this season’s commodities reflects the company’s resilience. The severe summer heat contributed to smaller fruit sizes and increased instances of sunburn, but overall quality remained high.
Pest issues have been significantly less severe this season compared to previous years. Bates noted that past challenges with thrip damage have not resurfaced, and the region has successfully avoided the citrus greening disease that has devastated Florida’s citrus industry.
Over the past decade, Sun Pacific has implemented measures to minimize and monitor populations of Asian citrus psyllids, the vectors for the disease, which have proven effective in maintaining product quality and preventing setbacks.
In addition to conventional citrus offerings, Sun Pacific caters to a growing market for sustainably and responsibly produced fruit with its organic navel oranges and organic Cuties.
These products are available in various packaging sizes, including 40-pound cartons and smaller consumer packs. The organic segment remains strong, supported by increased consumer demand despite potential regulatory challenges.
The company’s innovative approach to branding and variety selection is exemplified by products like Tinkled Pink cara cara oranges and Vintage Sweet heirloom navels. The Vintage Sweet variety is particularly noted for its premium quality, high Brix levels, and ideal balance of sugar to acid, appealing to discerning consumer preferences.
