EXETER – With the navel orange season about done, citrus growers are looking at a disappointing season for their flagship citrus variety.
Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual says that an “abundance of large sizes has led to marketing challenges all season.”
The navel average price collected weekly has been lower in the 2025-26 season compared to the past several years at $13.75 in week 20 compared to $20.25 the season before and $15.40 in 2023-24. The lower average prices have been mostly consistent all season according to industry figures. This year, California’s warmer winter and spring heat wave have hurt fruit quality, notes some reports.
Besides impacting the current navel crop, the current Valencia crop may be impacted by extreme heat as well as might be the coming season navel crop, notes the Fresh Plaza website. Flower development issues can lead to a “June drop” when trees shed immature fruit.
While the almond crop may not be heating up, it is improving.
The 2026 California Almond Forecast, published this month by the USDA, estimates that the crop harvested in 2026 will come in at 2.7 billion pounds, down 1% from the previous year. Forecasted yield is 1,940 pounds per acre, unchanged from the previous season.
This Subjective Forecast comes two weeks after Land IQ’s 2026 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate found that bearing almond acreage in California decreased by 15,227 acres from the previous year to 1,385,870 million bearing acres. That includes 47,588 acres of removed almonds.
Industry reports say 2025 prices fell below $2 per pound when 3-billion-pound projections dominated headlines, but with actual yields proving much lower, prices have rebounded to $2.60–$2.70.
Meat market is beefing up
Meanwhile, the meat market is breaking records as protein takes center stage in nutrition circles.
The Meat Institute reports that meat sales hit a record high of $112 billion in 2025, with a pound increase of 2%. Millennials and Gen Z were a driving force behind the growth, according to the 21st annual Power of Meat report released this spring.
USDA reports the average retail price for beef set a record in April at $9.64 per pound, up about 13% from the previous year. Beef prices remain elevated by strong demand and the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75 years. This is a result of years of drought, reduced income following the pandemic and elevated operating costs that have led farmers to liquidate their herds.
Dairy farmers are increasingly getting into the meat business to take advantage of the high price of beef.
The average price of pork increased 2.3% from April 2025 to April 2026. Pork chops are the most popular cut. The average retail price for pork chops in U.S. cities was $4.33 per pound in April 2026, up 9 cents per pound from the same time last year. Prices reflect a balanced supply of hogs and growing consumer demand.
For chicken, USDA estimates about 42.2 billion pounds of chicken will be purchased in 2026, up 46 million pounds from 2025. The overall price of chicken fell in April by 0.7% compared to April 2025.
Boneless chicken breasts in U.S. cities cost an average of $4.17 per pound in April, down a penny from the same time last year. Poultry flocks continue to recover from avian influenza, which has helped to control price increases.
