A cool glass of orange juice is a morning necessity for plenty around the globe, but extreme weather conditions have ruined orange crop harvests and limited global supply.
What's happening?
According to Food & Drink, catastrophic flooding in Spain in October severely impacted the nation's crop yields, resulting in estimated damages of around $205 million.
Valencia, in particular, was hard hit, leading many in the market to seek out alternative suppliers. Similar low orange yields in Brazil and Florida have made the situation worse, and the British Fruit Juice Association noted that orange juice availability is at its lowest level in around 50 years.
Why are low orange yields concerning?
According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Spain was the largest exporter of oranges in the world in 2022, with the industry making $3.65 billion — making it the country's 14th most-exported product.
A bad year for crop production could have a huge impact on the nation's gross domestic product, not to mention the nation's orange farmers.
While flooding isn't exactly unusual, its frequency and intensity are increasing because of human-caused global heating. As Oxfam detailed, a warmer climate increases the air's ability to hold moisture, with the atmosphere able to hold 7% more water for every one degree Celsius of warming.
With the Earth experiencing its hottest year on record in 2024, coming after the previous record set in 2023, a concerning pattern is emerging that may yet see more flooding events occur in the years to come.
For consumers, this scarcity will mean increased prices of fruit, orange juice, and other products that rely on the vitamin-C-packed orbs. At a time when it seems the cost of everything is on the up, Mintec's Benchmark Prices noted orange juice has seen a 130% price rise year-on-year.
What can be done about low orange yields?
Food & Drink noted that some farmers are turning to mandarins to ease the pressure on the industry. They offer similar benefits to their larger citrus cousins and have not been as dramatically impacted by extreme weather.
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Meanwhile, previously underutilized orange markets are emerging, with Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Argentina, and Peru looked at as alternative suppliers, as Food & Drink pointed out.
But in the broader picture, reducing our production of planet-warming pollution will help slow the rate of rising global temperatures that are increasing the chances and severity of flooding, which is impacting some of our favorite supermarket items.
Among the ways to do so is to switch to an electric vehicle — or walk or cycle more — reduce energy consumption, and eat more plant-based meals.
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