In the Rio Grande Valley, citrus growers are grappling with severe drought conditions that have led to historically low water levels in reservoirs essential for irrigation. Dale Murden, a grower near Combes, has had to remove approximately 40 acres of citrus trees due to insufficient water supply, a decision that forfeited potential earnings of around $750,000.
The strategy has involved reallocating water from less productive to more viable crops, a challenging judgment call according to Murden, president of Texas Citrus Mutual. The transition involves a significant cost of about $2,000 per acre for clearing and preparing the land for alternative, less water-intensive crops. Fellow grower Fred Karle, operating across various irrigation districts in the Valley, echoes the sentiment of navigating unprecedented drought conditions by prioritizing investment in crops with the highest potential yield. Despite the adversity, Karle is determined to persevere without resorting to crop conversion or tree removal.
Source: krgv.com