At the request of Florida processor and grower associations, the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) eased 2024–25 season maturity standards for Florida oranges and grapefruit going into juice.
Under the changes, until May 23, 2025, all processed oranges must have a Brix value of no less than 7.0 and there shall be no minimum ratio of total soluble solids to anhydrous citric acid.
From Nov. 21 through Nov. 30, 2024, processed grapefruit must have a Brix value of no less than 7.0 and a minimum ratio of total soluble solids to anhydrous citrus acid of 7.0.
The maturity standard changes were requested by the Florida Citrus Processors Association and Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM).
“With more than 70% of the most productive citrus acreage impacted by Hurricane Milton, Florida Citrus Mutual and the Florida Citrus Processors Association recognized that a portion of this year’s Florida citrus crop would not be able to meet the existing minimum maturity standards,” said FCM spokesperson Tamara Wood. “In order to avoid economic abandonment of this year’s crop, we worked together to request that the Florida Citrus Commission exercise their power to adopt emergency rules temporarily modifying the standards.”
In other FCC actions, the commission approved five citrus varieties and one rootstock made available to the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) to exercise first option to license for use to Florida growers exclusively for up to eight years. The FCC chose to exclude one proposed variety, C4-5-14 hybrid lime, because the FCC does not regulate it.
The approvals include:
- N14-10 Hamlin – Tolerant to HLB with improved color, Brix and soluble solids in the presence of HLB
- OLL-DC-3-40 sweet orange – Tolerant to HLB with improved Brix, color and juice scores in the presence of HLB
- OLL-DC-3-36 sweet orange – Tolerant to HLB with improved Brix, color and juice scores in the presence of HLB
- C4-10-42 mandarin hybrid – Tolerant to HLB and useful for processing and blending into not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice
- RBA 13-18 mandarin hybrid – Tolerant to HLB and useful for processing and blending into NFC orange juice
- Orange 14 rootstock – Performs well under HLB pressure
The FCC approved naming New Varieties Development & Management Corporation (NVDMC) as its designee for the licensing and commercialization of the varieties. NVDMC will be required to maintain the statutory exclusivity of eight years.
“We will continue to work with NVDMC to make sure they understand the eight-year exclusivity and make sure that the agreement is fulfilled, so we can get growers some great plant material very quickly,” FDOC Executive Director Shannon Shepp said.
Source: FDOC
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