Rain delays California citrus harvest
Bob Blakely, vice president of California Citrus Mutual, a citrus industry group, heard directly from farmers “The growers and shippers I've talked to are certainly happy to see this rain.”
Blakely says while the extra moisture is welcome after several years of drought, the downside is a pause on the harvest of navel oranges.
“We've had fruit in the packing houses up until the past few days to fill orders but I've heard the inventories and floor counts are getting a little low now,” says Blakeley.
“So we're probably going to experience a few days of tight supply.”
Blakely's not too concerned about an economic loss from this rainy stretch. Roughly thirty percent of the Central Valley’s navel orange crop is already harvested.
Blakely sees no long term effects and believes that, once the rain passes and crops dry, supplies will go back to normal.
source: capradio.org
