Why Are California Oranges Suddenly So Hard to Find?
A perfect storm of extreme weather, incurable disease, and economic pressure is causing a sharp decline in California's orange production, leading to higher pri
By Foodie Pundit Newsroom - Published - Updated - Section: Agriculture Supply
Key points
- California orange production has fallen significantly due to a combination of extreme weather, including both drought and floods, which damages trees and reduces fruit yield.
- The spread of the Asian citrus psyllid and the incurable disease it carries, Huanglongbing (HLB), poses an existential threat to the state's citrus industry, mirroring the devastation seen in Florida.
- Economic pressures, including urban sprawl and the higher profitability of other crops like almonds and pistachios, are causing a reduction in land dedicated to orange cultivation.
- Consumers should expect higher prices, greater price volatility, and more imported oranges from countries like Mexico and South Africa to fill the supply gap.
- The decline impacts not just grocery prices but also the juice industry, restaurants, and the economies of rural communities in California's Central Valley.
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