Jesse Silva, vice president of Kings River Packing, recently gave an upbeat outlook on the California citrus season. Silva termed it “a high-quality, high-demand year.”
Kings River and its affiliated companies, including Cobblestone Fruit and Jireh Packing, are operating at full capacity across their four facilities in Sanger, Reedley and Orosi, Silva said. “We’re running 24/7 right now,” he said. “The fruit looks great, and the market is strong — especially for early navels, lemons and mandarins.”
The California citrus season is running ahead of schedule thanks to ideal growing conditions in both the desert and Central Valley regions, according to Silva. Grapefruit, lemons and mandarins from the desert gave the company an early jump, and now the focus shifts northward. “Our early navels are maturing beautifully,” Silva said. “The sugar is coming on strong, the color is fantastic, and consumers are ready for California fruit.”
Silva reported that this year’s market fundamentals look favorable for growers. “The quality is high, imported volumes were lower than expected, and demand is strong both domestically and internationally,” he said. “Right now, pricing is solid across navels, mandarins and lemons. The retailers are excited.”
Silva discussed his company’s continued investment in organic citrus, now entering its third full year of production. “It’s still a niche, but it’s growing steadily,” he said. “We’re proud to be a year-round organic citrus supplier in oranges, lemons and grapefruit.”
Silva credited early fall rains for boosting color and size without harming the crop. “The timing was perfect,” he said. “Rain improves sizing, and the cool nights are bringing on that rich orange color everyone loves.”
Silva noted that Kings River’s partnership with FarmsCo — which sources citrus from Chile, Argentina, Peru and Morocco — complements California’s growing season. “It keeps our partners stocked year-round,” Silva said. “It’s about consistency — giving our customers California quality all 12 months of the year.”
Source: AgNet West
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