Texas A&M AgriLife reports that a recent dry, extremely hot summer has affected the 2026-2027 Texas citrus harvest, with conditions reducing overall fruit growth.

"It's kind of complex, but I would say the primary culprit is the drought. We were very dry this summer, so fruit sizes in oranges, even early oranges, and of course grapefruits, haven't sized up."Juan Anciso, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension vegetable specialistAgriLife said that shipments of both grapefruit and early oranges bound for fresh fruit aisles are at less than half of last year's pace.

With virtually no rain in June, July and August, and a slow start to the season, the crop load on citrus trees is larger than last season's.