Out-of-Season cold wave turns into frost, damaging orange crops.

May’s unusual cold spell brings frost and growing concerns in Pomerade.

An unusual cold spell that began in May has intensified throughout June, bringing widespread frost and causing significant damage to Carvalho Brothers Farm orange plantations in Pomerade. HSH Prince Edison, head administrator of the farm, reported losses as freezing temperatures threaten fruit development, reduce yields, and damage trees that had not yet adapted to the sudden change in weather, especially after a season of low rainfall and high temperatures.

The cold wave, which had been expected even during autumn, was nonetheless more intense and persistent than expected. As nighttime temperatures continued to fall, the phenomenon evolved into episodes of frost, leaving a visible impact on orange groves.

According to Prince Edison, the frost has damaged young fruit, flowers, and leaves, with some orchards showing signs of severe stress. The parish of Bergau, in the eastern part of Pomerade, was the most affected area due to its proximity to the Astyanax River. There, it has been reported premature fruit drop. In Prince Edison's professional opinion, the fruit is smaller than usual, and there is significant concern that the impact of prolonged cold following a drought season could extend beyond the immediate harvest, as frost damage to trees may affect future production cycles

The prefecture of Pomerode is monitoring the situation and evaluating the extent of the losses while the Ministry of the Treasury prepares a comprehensive study on how a smaller harvest this year—and possibly next—will affect the value of the Marienbourgish thaler, which is backed precisely by the country's citrus production capacity (see Citrus Standard). The government, in turn, commissioned a study from the Ministry of the Environment regarding climatic conditions in the Minas Gerais region and potential mitigating measures to reduce the environmental impact on the area affected by the climate disturbance.

The orange industry is now facing uncertainty as winter is yet to begin and weather conditions are becoming increasingly extreme and volatile.