Production of orange oil continues to struggle to meet increased demand. Pricing has remained firm, and natural orange derivatives have also started to increase in price as a result.
Brazil has raised its prices for orange oil in anticipation of ICBC, which is scheduled to begin on 9/20/22. Due to the poor quality of the nation's previous crop, Brazilian producers have agreed with multinationals to accept a 1.1% aldehyde standard, rather than the 1.2% standard from last year. This year's Brazilian orange crop has been delayed, and the first varietals processed have had lower aldehyde content, which is typical. Aldehyde levels are expected to increase once Brazilian producers begin processing Valencia oranges, which will not begin until Q4 of this year.
9/9/22: Brazil has raised its prices for orange oil in anticipation of ICBC, which is scheduled to begin on 9/20/22. Due to the poor quality of the nation’s previous crop, Brazilian producers have agreed with multinationals to accept a 1.1% aldehyde standard, rather than the 1.2% standard from last year. This year’s Brazilian orange crop has been delayed, and the first varietals processed have had lower aldehyde content, which is typical. Aldehyde levels are expected to increase once Brazilian producers begin processing Valencia oranges, which will not begin until Q4 of this year.
7/13/22: The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released its final citrus forecast of the 2021/2022 growing season. In Florida, total orange production is expected to rise by 1%, reaching 40.95 million boxes. However, California estimates fell by around 2.3 million boxes; the state is expecting Valencia orange production to increase by 700,000 boxes, but non-Valencia production to fall by 3 million boxes.
3/14/22: On March 9th, 2022, The US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reduced Florida’s orange and grapefruit crop estimations again. This mostly affects Valencia oranges, which have had a decrease of 3 million boxes. This represents a 12% decrease from the previous estimation. The total Florida Orange forecast for the 2021-2022 crop season is 41.2 million boxes. This represents a 22% decrease from the previous season.
12/1/21: The entire orange market continues to move up in terms of cost; domestic producers are also starting to reflect the higher prices of international producers, indicating that these increases are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
Orange is one of the most diverse botanicals across the entire spectrum of citrus, with dozens of regional, commercial, and seasonal varieties of fruit. Despite such diversity, only a few types of orange are actually used to produce commercial-quality essential oils, and Orange Oil Valencia is derived from one such fruit. Mainly produced in the US on the scale of millions of boxes per year, Valencia orange is instantly recognizable for its higher aldehyde content; a more prevalent quality than its “Midseason” counterpart. These aldehydes provide orange oil Valencia with a pleasant, slightly spicy aroma and flavor that remains popular throughout the flavor and fragrance industry.
