Are we heading towards a shortage of orange juice? Worrying Factors!
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In February, we explained to you why orange juice was going to undergo a price increase of 50 to 60%. A few months later, the threat still hangs over this flagship drink that could run out. In effect, climate change is having a major impact on several major orange-producing regions like Florida in the United States, Mexico or Spain.
In Florida, the difficulties accumulated after the passage of hurricanes Ian then Nicole in September and November 2022. Added to this, an epidemic of the so-called yellow dragon disease which destroyed the crops… difficult to recover from. The situation is not much better on the side of Mexico or Spain directly affected by the drought which considerably reduces the production of oranges.
Faced with the situation, the orange juice might run out on supermarket shelves within the next few weeks as explained in a press release, published on Thursday, May 11, 2023, Unijus, the interprofessional union of the French fruit juice sector. In this document, the manufacturers report a global shortage mainly linked to climatic hazards.
To make up for this lack, much of the world’s production now relies on Brazil. But the country has announced that it cannot “fulfill all orders that come from all continents”. Result ? “orders from concentrate suppliers are now subject to quotas for all companies wishing to buy them, a situation never encountered by the oldest buyers!” explains the professional union.
Faced with these events, the prices of oranges and orange concentrates take off. THE France Info website thus explains that “in a juice factory in Sarre-Union (Bas-Rhin), production is increasingly difficult. Jean-Luc Etter, director of the “Jus de fruits d’Alsace”, adds water to the concentrate to reconstitute the juices. The mixture has been getting way too expensive for a year. “We bought our ton of orange concentrate for 2,400 euros, today we are at 3,400”he explains.
According to the French fruit juice industry, the unprecedented situation threatens global supply. Drinking an orange juice in the morning could quickly become a luxury…
