Local psyllid finds negative for disease
California Citrus Mutual reports this week that the navel crop is 100% harvested and shippers expect to finish shipping remaining inventories by the end of June. Prices for all sizes are very strong at over $23 per carton. That compares to $16 a carton last season.Looking ahead to next season, industry estimates project the 2022 navel crop will be of an average size.Meanwhile the Valencia season is in full swing and 31% harvested. The average domestic price for the week was just over $19. The market is characterized as strong. Demand is picking up on larger sizes. Demand for smaller sizes is starting to fall off which is typical with schools closing for the summer break. The price is well above average but mostly below last year’s strong showing when consumers were eager for Vitamin C.
Psyllid finds negative for HLB bacteria
Tulare County farmers are breathing just a little easier this week after multiple Asian Citrus Psyllid finds in Woodlake/Lemon Cove and elsewhere a few weeks ago.Now Victoria Hornbaker, APHIS Citrus Program Manager reports that for the Tulare County finds,” all of the psyllid that were collected were tested to see if they were carrying the bacteria that causes HLB, and those all came up negative.” Officials are still conducting testing on the ACP detection in Fresno County.The industry fears the spread of citrus greening disease from these insects that has devastated Florida’s citrus industry.