As several of California's lemon-growing regions wind down production, total output for the 2011-2012 season is anticipated to be down from last year. A dry year has also led to reports of smaller sizes in some areas.At the end of last year, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast 2011-2012 California lemon production at 832,000 tons. This represents an 11% decrease from last year. A portion of this decrease is due to fewer lemons in desert lemon-growing regions.
“The desert lemon season will be down by about 50 percent,” says Sam Mayhew, general manager at the Oxnard Lemon Company. He cites a freeze as responsible for the low output. He also expects a 10 percent decrease in production from the San Joaquin Valley, but he attributes that dip to typical year-to-year fluctuations in volume.
Prices have been lower than in previous years, though decreased volumes of fruit helped strengthen prices as the season progressed.
The low rainfall the state has experienced has led to concerns about sizing, and though Mayhew says he hasn't seen significantly smaller sizes this year, Dan Kass, of Paramount Citrus, says the lack of moisture has affected some fruit.
“We've had some smaller sizes coming, and that can be attributed to the dry weather,” says Kass. “Growth has been less than normal, and pricing has been lower than usual.” However, he adds that movement has picked up since late January, making for an interesting, if challenging, season.