Nine months following the historic February Freeze across Texas, the state's grapefruit industry is still dealing with the impacts. The winter outbreak that had swept into the subtropical southeastern portion of the state on February 14 damaged two different crops of grapefruit across the region. Now, this season's crop of grapefruit, which had only been blooming at the time of the winter outbreak, is expected to provide less than a third of an average harvest.
Although Texas was the number one provider of fresh grapefruit in the nation ahead of the outbreak, the damage done to the groves has since dropped it down to third in the nation.
Sources estimate there will only be about 30% of a normal crop this harvest due to the freeze. The fruit that did survive will be harvested closer to late November rather than when the season typically starts around mid-September into early October. The estimated total financial loss from the freeze is forecast at some $300 million.
Source: accuweather.com