Orange prices continued to rise on Wednesday as supplies plunge after record-low freeze destroyed most of California's orange crop.

The wholesale price of the fruit began to soar on Tuesday as agriculture officials warned that consumers will soon be paying more for other produce such as avocados, carrots and lettuce.

Since January 11, extreme low temperatures and freezing conditions have gripped usually sunny California. Some farmers suffered damage to 100 percent of their crops, and many others say more than half their produce is destroyed.

The orange crop was particularly hard-hit because growers had picked only 30 percent of the state's 193,000 acres of orange groves before the freeze.

The National Weather Service predicts several more days of below freezing temperatures in several areas of the state, raising the specter of more crop damage.

In the strongest sign that the freeze will hurt consumers, navel orange prices doubled at the wholesale level, with the highest grade, large-sized navels increasing from up to 17 dollars per bushel last week to about 35 dollars on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

California is the nation's dominant source of navels, and unlike other crops, little foreign supply is available.

Wholesale prices for other produce have also risen. As recently as Friday, California-grown broccoli was wholesaling for 16 to 18 dollars a carton in Los Angeles, according to the Department of Agriculture. On Tuesday, the same cartons sold for 20 to 24 dollars. Iceberg lettuce that sold for 11 to 12.50 dollars on Friday was selling for 16 to 20 dollars a carton Tuesday.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in the 10 counties hardest hit.