Brazil’s Fundecitrus has launched an awareness campaign — The Fruit of the Orange Tree Is the Progress — to reinforce the need for unity in combating citrus greening disease.
The campaign aims to show that orange production extends beyond orchards and the juice industry. Present in hundreds of municipalities, citrus farming drives regional economies, creates direct and indirect jobs, boosts commerce, strengthens agribusiness and contributes to the population’s quality of life.
“With this new campaign, we reinforce the activity’s impact on the daily lives of producing communities, highlighting how the sector is linked to income generation, municipal tax revenue and the preservation of productive areas managed with environmental responsibility,” said Fundecitrus Executive Director Juliano Ayres.
A key aspect of the initiative is raising the alarm about the spread of greening, which threatens orchards and compromises plant productivity. The campaign emphasizes that tackling the problem depends on the collective engagement of growers, residents of citrus-growing regions and society at large.
“We know that effective greening control requires constant monitoring, the removal of diseased plants and proper management of the psyllid,” Ayres said. “In this context, unity among all stakeholders in the production chain is essential to protect orchards and ensure the future of the citrus industry.”
In partnership with local governments, Fundecitrus works to replace orange jasmine plants — commonly found in residential gardens and public squares — with other ornamental species. Orange jasmine plants are hosts to the psyllid that transmits citrus greening disease. The presence of orange jasmine plants in urban areas fosters infestations because the insects can migrate to commercial orchards.
The campaign will be promoted across various platforms and through institutional materials. It will bring the public closer to the realities of the citrus industry and reinforce the message that caring for the citrus industry also contributes to the development of local communities and future generations.
Source: Fundecitrus
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