PRINT THIS PAGE | E-MAIL THIS PAGE

Saturday, February 22, 1997

Citrus growers declare season a sweet success

MISSION, Texas (AP) - It's been a sweet year for South Texas citrus growers, who say grapefruit and orange production is up despite continuing water shortages and a cold snap that threatened to freeze fruit and profits.

To date, grapefruit production has outpaced last season's by more than 20 percent, while orange production increased more than 50 percent, experts reported.

"It looks like we're going to continue at that pace and finish up quite well," said Bill Weeks, president of the Texas Produce Association.

Weeks noted that 35 percent of the fruit remains on trees. Grapefruit accounts for 70 percent of the Rio Grande Valley's 35,000 acres of citrus; oranges account for 30 percent.

Growers cited three factors for the successful season: higher yields per acre, better quality and higher prices.

The good news comes despite a January cold front that dipped temperatures below the freezing mark. Citrus trees were spared any damage, a godsend for growers who continue to recover from two disastrous freezes in the 1980s.

Citrus also survived the drought, which has reduced water supplies in the Falcon and Amistad reservoirs, from which farmers receive their water.

Nevertheless, growers said they are concerned that their luck may be about to run out.

"I would venture to say that half of our citrus growers, if we don't get additional allocations, will have to let half their acres go to save their other acres," said Mike Lopez, manager of a Mission irrigation district in which the water supply is dangerously low.

Weeks agreed that the situation is worsening.

"The writing is on the wall with Amistad and Falcon even lower than last year. It does not look at all promising for this summer," he said.

But Dwayne Bair, president of the Edinburg Citrus Association, said the forecast is not all gloomy. Many citrus growers can divert water from other crops to keep their trees healthy, while others could buy extra water allocations.

"Yes, there's a water shortage," Bair told The (McAllen) Monitor. But, he added, "We will have a fruit crop next year."Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: