Orange crops are so depleted that fruit juice makers are trying make orange juice without oranges.
Driving the news: Global orange supplies have faltered as the two biggest global producers — Brazil and Florida — deal with an increase in dying trees and smaller yields due to scorching hot weather, hurricanes, and an incurable disease called citrus greening.
- The price of concentrated orange juice futures hit a record high of US$4.95 per pound this week after Brazillian orange producers projected a 24% drop in their harvests this year, much higher than initial estimates.
What’s next: The International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association is looking into the possibility of making orange juice using other citrus fruits — namely mandarins, which, we found out while researching this story, aren't a breed orange but a different fruit altogether.
Bottom line: Unless juice makers can start using other fruits or resort to putting out drinks made with lower-quality oranges, expect the price for a jug of OJ to keep climbing.—QH