US (CA): Frosts will reduce citrus crop by 15%
“We ran frost protection from 25 to 30 nights, depending on which part of the Valley you were in,” Alyssa Nichols, a spokeswoman for Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual, said. “And in the foothills it was probably a little less.”
The damage will vary from crop to crop as mandarins are more vulnerable to frosts, with damage beginning at 32 degrees, than are navels, which only get damaged when it plummets below 27 degrees. As a result the anticipated drop in the mandarin crop is 35%.
Citrus Mutual officials said the recent bout of warmer weather has allowed growers to better see the weather damage, which includes scarring of the fruit rind.
Source: www.visaliatimesdelta.com
