🍊 Oranges and Climate: why the orange season ended early this year

A Change Coming from the Land

The Valencia orange season – those sweet, juicy, sun-kissed fruits – is coming to an end.
A little earlier than expected.
And with them, the citrus season as a whole is also closing.

In a normal year, the last harvested oranges usually arrive through early June, bringing the energy of the land and the warmth of spring. But this year, something changed. The climate, quietly but unmistakably, wrote a different script.

Climate and Citrus: An Increasingly Fragile Balance

Oranges are fruits deeply connected to the rhythms of the earth and the sky. They need regular seasons, steady rainfall, sharp temperature fluctuations, and just the right amount of sun. It’s from this delicate balance that sweet, juicy, colorful oranges are born. But when the balance shifts, the fruit responds.

This year, the trees “spoke” earlier than usual

Here’s what happened:

• 🌧️ Not enough rain during the crucial growing months, leaving dry and stressed soil
• ☀️ Unseasonably high temperatures starting as early as March
• 🌡️ Reduced temperature swings, essential for ripening and pigmentation
• 🌀 Sudden weather changes that confused the growth cycles

👉 The result? Fruits that ripened too quickly, forcing us to end the harvest earlier than usual.

An Early End: Just a Coincidence?

Actually, no. This isn’t an isolated event, but a trend we’re seeing more and more often.
Seasons are shortening, harvests are being compressed into fewer weeks, and the whole cycle – from flowering to picking – has become more unstable.
This is a direct effect of climate change, now impacting even traditional agriculture.

We often think of climate change as something far away, but those who work the land know: today, the climate decides everything — fruit size, sweetness, harvest times, and even yields.

How Much Does Climate Impact Oranges?

Not all oranges are the same — and neither are the seasons.
The climate influences:

• 🧡 Fruit size: with less water, fruits tend to be smaller
• 🍬 Sugar concentration: sometimes sweeter, but less balanced
• 🍊 Overall harvest quantity: stressed trees produce less
• 🎨 Pigmentation (especially for blood oranges): without cold nights, colors stay lighter

That’s why this season ended earlier: nature ran its course, and we listened carefully.

Our Commitment Continues, Even Stronger

Even though the oranges are saying goodbye, we continue to care for our land with the same passion and respect.
Because every season is a new story to write, and every harvest teaches us something precious.

👉 If you want to learn more about our conscious farming and the true origin of the Tarocco, we recommend this article:
Discover why the only true Tarocco is Sicilian (agronomist’s word)

☀️ Summer Surprises Are Coming!

Even though the oranges are finishing up, Mammarancia’s summer will be full of flavors!
🚨 Get ready for summer surprises!
Tropical and non-tropical fruits, fresh organic vegetables — new flavors to explore every week.

🍍🍑🍆 Whether you love making jams, salads, or simply enjoying fresh seasonal produce, we promise to keep surprising you all summer long.

A Sunny See-You-Soon ☀️

Even if the season ends a little early, it’s not a goodbye. It’s simply a natural pause, a breathing space for the trees, the land, and for all of us who continue to believe in farming based on respect, listening, and passion.

💛 Thank you for being part of this story, year after year.

See you at the next glass of fresh juice.
Always with the scent of Sicily in your heart. 🍊