RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — South Texas citrus growers are facing tough conditions due to drought. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey visits Fred Karle, a Texas citrus grower, who says that despite the challenges, they expect larger yields this season.
South Texas citrus growers are seeing a positive turnaround this season, even as the industry continues to recover from the devastating 2021 freeze and ongoing water concerns.
“It’s a good time to have grapefruit and oranges, and we’re doing okay. Our yields are up,” said Rio Grande Valley citrus grower Fred Karle.
Karle says harvest is well underway across the region, with much of the crop already completed.
“We’re probably halfway to two-thirds through the grapefruit. We finished our early oranges and navels. We’ve probably finished the Valencias — I think they’re all gone — and we’ve got about a fourth of the grapefruit crop left,” he explained. “We should wrap it up here in March or maybe the first week in April.”
Despite improved production, not all growers remain in the business. Some previously sold off their groves to developers, a decision Karle says many likely do not regret.
“Probably not — not if they put that money into good stocks and bonds or high interest rates,” he said.
Water remains a major concern for the region’s agriculture sector. Ongoing disputes over water deliveries from Mexico, tied to a longstanding treaty, have limited irrigation supplies in some areas.
“We’re in a real drought. We’ve got to keep praying,” Karle said. “Embarrassing to say, but we need a hurricane. Where we can irrigate, we’re doing well. Unfortunately, there are some water districts that don’t have the water.”
Citrus production depends heavily on reliable irrigation, making water shortages a critical issue for growers moving forward. Karle warns that districts without sufficient water supplies could face serious challenges if conditions do not improve.
The Texas citrus industry is far from the only one facing hardships lately. In Florida, officials estimate that since 2005, about 90 percent of citrus production has been lost due to citrus greening, affecting 80 percent of the fruit-bearing trees there.
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