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September and October rains have all but sealed the success of the Rio Grande Valley citrus crop this year giving rise to an optimistic outlook for big, juicy, sweet oranges and grapefruit this year. Growers report demand is up because of crop diseases in Florida and late harvest of the California crop. Get ready for sweet success!
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By Logan Hawkes
When you grow things for a living you never really know how good or how bad the year is going to be until the final harvest is over. But there are pre-harvest signs to watch, and officials of the Texas citrus industry are reporting that according to all the signs so far this year, it's going to be a bumper crop in Texas.
Substantial September and October rains are being credited as the primary reason Valley citrus growers are expecting a "sweet" crop this year. Combined with healthy orchards, the year may turn out to be surprisingly profitable for the state's citrus industry. And with citrus canker problems and a slow recovery from active hurricane season in Florida, Texas oranges and grapefruit are even more in demand.
It's all "sweet" news for Texas growers, but the real benefit will come for consumers when harvest begins next month. That's when those exceptionally sweet, juicy oranges and grapefruit hit the shelves and road side stands, turning the holidays into a grab fest for aficiandos struggling to wrap their lips around the high-quallity fruit before stores run out.
And yes, they will run out.
Have you ever wondered why you can find plenty of California oranges and Florida oranges (until a ban on Florida fruit was imposed last year because of the fear of canker problems) in the produce department of your favorite grocer, but have a hard time finding Texas fruit?
The answer is a bit complicated, but in a nutshell, the variety of Texas oranges popularly grown in the Valley are most often pre-sold to juice companies. For one, the juice of Texas oranges is much sweeter than most other varieties. But another problem with Texas oranges is that they are generally smaller and not as "pretty" as, say, Navel oranges - which are genetically grown to look better. Leave it to the American consumer to associate looks with good taste.
A few years back, when Texas was experiencing a particularly sweet and juicy citrus season, I was standing in line at a road side fruit stand just outside of Harlingen waiting to pay for my fresh picked fruit. A woman in front of me couldn't wait to taste the fruit while waiting to check out. She had hand peeled a small, ugly orange to help pass the time and was nibbling on the meat.
With juice running down her cheek she looked embarrassed as she turned to me, eyes open wide, and exclaimed, "this is the sweetest orange I think I have ever tasted."
"Yes maam, they're not bad," I politely replied, "but wait until the season peaks and the really sweet ones come in."
It must have been shock. Or maybe she thought I was making fun of her. She didn't actually respond except for a slight, juicy smile. But I noticed she did pick up another bag or oranges before she reached the check out stand.
The point is, if you have never tasted a peak season Texas orange on a particularly sweet year, then you have no idea what you're missing. And as far as I am concerned, that's okay. The fewer people that know the sweet secret of Texas citrus, the more there remains for the likes of me.
In fact, I'm feeling a little sorry I ever mentioned this in the first place. See you at the fruit stand. (I'll be the one that's at the front of the line.)
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