"China: "Guang'an navel orange production drops, but quality improves"

"Under normal weather conditions, the navel oranges in Guang'an, Sichuan, generally become ripe in November each year. The market supply remains until February of the next year. We are now in the middle of the Guang'an navel orange production. Compared to last season, the production has dropped, and the price has increased," according to Yan Hong, producer and trader of Guang'an navel oranges in Sichuan.

"Even though the production decreased, there has been an improvement in the fruit quality. The oranges are sweeter and juicier. This is mainly because of two factors. Firstly, the Guang'an area has a special climate with much sun and large temperature differences between day and night. The majority of the fields are located on hilltops. This is the ideal environment for the navel orange production. Secondly, many farmers have changed the way they prune branches and use fertilizer, so that the navel oranges can absorb nutrition better."