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News for citrus growers around the globe
The Feb. 10 forecast for Brazil’s São Paulo and Triângulo/Sudoeste Mineiro region is 292.6 million boxes of oranges. That’s a 0.7% reduction from the Dec. 10 forecast of 294.81 million boxes, and a 7% reduction from the initial forecast of the season on May 9 of 314.6 million boxes. The reduction is due to a decrease in the average size …
By Megan Dewdney The recent freeze events of the last few weeks have scrambled the plans of citrus growers. It will take several weeks to months to understand the extent of the damage caused by the unusually cold weather. MELANOSE There is at least one disease that is highly likely to be worse than in other years. Melanose is likely …
Mark your calendar for the 2026 Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, set for Aug. 12–13. The event is returning with several upgrades designed to improve the experience for citrus and specialty crop growers, exhibitors and industry partners. EXCEPTIONAL LOCATION The 2026 Expo is relocating back to Fort Myers, Florida, but at a new location. The event will be held at …
Fruit harvested at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Millennium Block from 2022 to 2026 will help determine the effectiveness of potential solutions to HLB. This season’s fruit will be harvested through early February, and research results are expected later this year. The Millennium Block was planted in 2019 at the UF/IFAS Indian River Research …
By Marisa Zansler Over the past year, there has been a discreet change occurring in the orange juice (OJ) aisle amid supply shortages. Some of the familiar OJ cartons have changed, not in name but in composition. With Florida’s smaller crop and limited global OJ supplies, Florida’s processors have stretched that limited supply by offering more products that blend OJ …
Chilean production of lemons, oranges and tangerines/mandarins are all forecast to increase in 2025–26 from the prior year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported. LEMONS Lemon production is forecast to increase 4.4% from the prior year to 237,000 metric tons (MT). The increase is driven by expanded planted area and the crop’s profitability. The area …
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) global marketing team recently provided an update on consumer trends, dietary guidelines and FDOC marketing programs. CAUTIOUS CONSUMERS The team reported that consumer sentiment is stuck at historic lows, producing a cautious and concerned U.S. consumer. That has resulted in what the team called the “uncommitted shopper.” Essentially, shopping began to shift in 2025 …
The University of California, Riverside (UCR), which developed the Tango mandarin in 2006, recently reflected on the variety’s success and noted that its patent has expired. Tango has generated more than $70 million in cumulative economic value for UCR. The virtually seedless, easy-peeling fruit has been marketed under brand names like Cuties and Halos. Now that Tango’s plant patent has …
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is asking Florida agriculturists to participate in a postfreeze damage assessment survey. The survey seeks information about the cumulative impacts of all freeze events that have impacted an operation in 2026. The survey requests the general location of the operation (county/ZIP code), commodity specific details including total acreage, affected …
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced that beginning Feb. 25, Florida’s agricultural producers can apply for more than $600 million in disaster assistance for impacts from the 2023 and 2024 hurricane seasons. In addition, Simpson is asking the federal government for approval to use Florida’s disaster block grant program to immediately fund relief for agricultural producers impacted by the …
Sponsored Content Question: Now that we have ReMedium TI® as a therapy to treat HLB, what else can a grower do to speed recovery? Answer: Feed the trees. I know that answer is an oversimplification, but it is the correct answer. Your groves have been struggling for years because of the root damage from HLB. While growers can’t make up …
Tripti Vashisth, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) associate professor of horticultural sciences and citrus Extension specialist, was part of a question-and-answer session that the UF/IFAS Statewide Citrus Team held for growers last week prior to the weekend’s winter storm. She talked about how low temperatures and high winds could impact citrus flowering. She expressed hope …
A South Georgia citrus producer is upbeat after last weekend’s winter storm, which brought plunging temperatures and blistery wind conditions, threatened his grove. Jaime Patrick of Patrick Farms in Omega admitted it would still be a few days before he had a clearer view of the overall impact from the freeze. But he is optimistic. “It’s going to take us …
The Florida Citrus Show has an excellent day of education and networking planned for citrus and specialty crop growers. One of the most timely talks will cover post-freeze production considerations for citrus growers. Learn what Extension resources are available to growers to assist in their recovery efforts. Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) programs have been a lifeline to growers …
Cold-hardy citrus producers are now coping with the aftermath of last weekend’s winter storm. Water was a key tool that growers used in efforts to protect their crop from sub-freezing temperatures and blistering wind chills. Now, they need that water to drain as quickly as possible, says Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association. “You don’t want to …
Florida citrus growers are in the middle of harvest season. That means plenty of fruit was still left on the trees prior to last weekend’s winter storm that brought freezing temperatures and dangerous wind chills to the state’s citrus-producing regions. Growers are assessing the negative impacts following the freeze, but they may not know the extent of damage for a …
By Muhammad A. Shahid and Davie Kadyampakeni Silicon (Si) is getting a lot of attention from citrus growers as a tool to help trees handle stress, especially during cold and freeze conditions. It toughens up plant tissues, strengthens cell walls and helps trees better handle stress when it is applied at the right time. BEFORE FREEZE The most important thing …
Last September, Jason Griffin hosted a field day in his citrus grove near Lake Alfred in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The event was well attended, and some growers requested a second field day when the crop was closer to harvest. Griffin and UF/IFAS hosted a second event in late January as …
Florida citrus growers eager to expedite the recovery process for trees impacted by last weekend’s frigid temperatures need to wait. That is the message that Flavia Zambon, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor at the Indian River Research and Education Center, emphasized to the state’s citrus growers. Zambon was part of a virtual question-and-answer …
American farmers “are facing extreme economic pressures that threaten the long-term viability of the U.S. agriculture sector,” 56 agriculture organizations told congressional leaders in a Jan. 15 letter. California Citrus Mutual, Florida Citrus Mutual and Texas Citrus Mutual were among the letter’s signers. The letter went to the U.S. Senate majority and minority leaders and the House of Representatives speaker …
