In May 2022, Brazilian orange production was projected to rise by 20.5% year-on-year (y-o-y), to 317 million boxes. Improved climatic conditions in 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 (which was heavily impacted by long periods of drought and frost) supported the growth of the orange crop.
Currently, this figure remains in line with expectations. Despite a forecast rise in production, the winter season in Brazil has been warmer than usual so far, reaching an average of 6°C above the 30-year average in July.
Currently, no major fruit damage has been reported but it has led to increased fruit drop due to insufficient rainfall. There is a risk that prolonged periods of drought could hamper production estimates and reduce yields. Higher than average temperatures can also cause a reduction in fruit size and overall quality, which will be a key watch-out factor throughout harvest in the remainder of August and September. Continued drought conditions could cause a decline in overall Brazilian orange production for the 2022/23 season.
Source: mintecglobal.com