The Chief Executive Officer of the Citrus Products of Belize Limited (CPBL), Dr. Henry Canton, told Amandala today that according to a preliminary estimate, industry earnings have fallen by about US$25 million (BZ$50 million) for the last crop year, last October to June, when compared to the previous crop year. The losses are primarily attributed to heavy rainfalls in the south, compounded by the ongoing phenomenon of citrus greening, a plant disease which is now pervasive across the industry.

According to Canton, the last crop year netted US$75 million in receipts, whereas this year is expected to net US$48-49 million; and the company will likely report a loss to shareholders after the financial year closes in September.

Amandala contacted Canton after a report was issued by the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) this week informing that citrus production for the first quarter of 2013 had hit an 18-year low.

Canton explained that the citrus trees were suffering a double whammy due to citrus greening and what is colloquially called “wet foot” – the devastation of roots due to flooding. “Wet foot” leads to increased fungal growth and more disease pressure on plants, said Canton, noting that citrus greening also affects crop roots.

There was plenty of rain in December and January and particularly in the South, where most of the citrus is grown, he added. When February 2013 arrived, he said, they saw that most farms were experiencing tremendous drops of premature fruit—which led to substantial shortfalls in both the quality and quantity of produce.

According to Canton, there was roughly a 27% drop in volume of oranges and an 8% drop in yield; while there was a 25% drop in production of grapefruit and a 7% drop in yield.

The first crop forecast estimated 5.5 million boxes of oranges and 900,000 boxes of grapefruit would have been produced; however that estimate was later revised downward to 5.1 mil boxes of oranges and 750,000 boxes of grapefruit. The outturn, said Canton, was even lower: 4 million boxes of oranges and 678,000 boxes of grapefruit.

Apart from the lower production figures, fruit quality—measured in pounds solids, or the soluble solids in the fruit—was also down for the last crop year, the CEO told us.

He said that during the course of deliveries, CPBL noticed that the quality of grapefruit, the first citrus product to be delivered at the factory in the crop year, was not what they were used to seeing.

Canton said that he is still “bullish”—optimistic about the industry’s prospects—and this year’s loss is “just one of those things we have to live with…”

Canton, who has his farm in the Sittee River area, said his farm is affected 100% by greening, but, he said, if farmers stick to the fundamentals – assuring proper drainage, fertilization and maintenance – production, which fell by about half of last’s year’s figure, could rebound almost completely.

Currently, the factory is not accepting any fruit since the crop year ended mid-June, Canton indicated. The season doesn’t start again until October and that is when the forecasts for the new crop year will also be available.

Despite this year’s dive in production, Canton said: “It’s not doom and gloom and disaster… I would be surprised if we don’t have a rebound next year.”

According to the CEO, production losses reported by farmers range from 25% to 60%, depending on the location. For example, he said, some farms in Cayo area and the Belize District area actually saw an increase in production.

We asked Canton what the impact would be on price paid to farmers. He said that last year, growers had an exceptionally good year with an unusually high price being paid, because the futures were maxed out; but prices came down 35% this year. Still, he said, they are receiving US$10.50 per box of orange on the market and US$10 for a box of grapefruit.

From a pricing perspective, he said, it was not a bad year; the problem, he reiterated, was the lower yield and production within the citrus industry.

Amandala called to speak with Citrus Growers Association CEO – Dr. Henry Anderson and director Denzil Jenkins, to get their input; however, we were unable to speak with them.