California citrus industry expects modest damage from cold

California’s citrus growers are expecting some damage to their fruit after six consecutive nights of freezing temperatures, but an industry representative said conditions are not as severe as catastrophic winters in years past.

“While damage is expected, it is certainly not at levels close to damage in the last significant freeze events in 1998 and 1990,” said Alyssa Houtby, a spokeswoman for California Citrus Mutual, a trade association representing more than two-thirds of the state’s citrus farmers.

Growers in the $2-billion industry have been combating the freeze by wetting soil and using wind machines to circulate warmer air from the ground.

“Equipment fatigue and fuel supply are the concern now,” Houtby said.

California Citrus Mutual estimates that frost protection over the last six nights has cost the industry about $23 million.

“The navel oranges crop is expected to make it out of this freeze episode with some damage, the extent of which will be determined in the coming weeks,” Houtby said. “The less cold-tolerant Mandarin crop will have a greater degree of damage, again the extent of which cannot be verified at this time.”

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