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News for citrus growers around the globe
Alico, Inc. received significantly higher prices for its citrus fruit in the 2020-21 harvest season, but had reduced box production and reduced average pound solids per box of fruit. The company’s average blended price for fruit was $2.45 per pound solids (PPS), up 31.7% from the $1.86 PPS it received the prior year. Alico cited “favorable industry supply dynamics” as …
The European Union (EU) expects production increases for lemon and grapefruit in 2020-21 compared to the previous season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported. LEMONSLemon production is forecast to increase by almost 11.7% to 1.64 million metric tons. Spain will have the lion’s share of production at 1.06 million metric tons, followed by Italy at 491,000 metric …
The global citrus fiber market is expected to surpass $500 million by 2031, growing at a 6% annual rate, according to a recent report by market research firm Fact.MR. The firm reported that the citrus fiber market was about $300 million in 2020. It stated that as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, consumer eating habits switched to natural alternatives; that significantly …
A citrus under protective screen (CUPS) project in Dundee, Florida, has received the 2021 Vanguard Award from the Irrigation Association (IA). The award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry executed by a team of individuals, companies, organizations or other group entities. Projects chosen for the award exemplify the IA’s mission of promoting efficient irrigation. The partners in …
How modern citrus developed, particularly the popular mandarin variety, has long been a mystery to citrus breeders. A global partnership of scientists recently unraveled a big part of the mystery by analyzing the genome sequences of 69 East Asian traditional, wild and atypical citrus varieties. One of the researchers was Fred Gmitter, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural …
Vero Beach grower George Hamner reported having better production and size on his fresh market grapefruit and lemon crops in the 2020-21 season than in the prior year. He said grapefruit prices remained steady, similar to the prior year. “Lemons, however, were not as good as previous years because of the loss of food-service business … due to COVID-19,” he …
By Lauren Diepenbrock In the past few years, several citrus growers have been impacted by yet another non-native pest in their groves. This time it is not an insect or mite; it’s a snail. Bulimulus sporadicus is a relatively new pest to Florida, first found in Duval County in 2009. It has quickly moved throughout much of the state, causing …
PepsiCo, Inc. announced Aug. 3 that it has entered into an agreement with PAI Partners (PAI) to sell Tropicana, Naked and other select juice brands across North America. It also entered into an irrevocable option to sell certain juice businesses in Europe. PepsiCo said the actions will result in combined pretax cash proceeds of approximately $3.3 billion while retaining a …
Plant breeding, project terminations and peptide discussions dominated the July 27 meeting of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation’s (CRDF) board of directors. CRDF Chief Operating Officer Rick Dantzler provided the following report: PLANT BREEDINGWe continue to believe that plant breeding will ultimately be how we put HLB in the rearview mirror. As a result, we continue to put a …
Worldwide orange and orange juice (OJ) production are projected to climb in the 2020-21 market year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported recently. ORANGESGlobal orange output for 2020-21 is estimated up 2.5 million tons from the previous year to 48.6 million as favorable weather leads to a larger crop in Brazil (up 7%) and Mexico (up …
By Matt Smith Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. We often think about pesticide safety and best management practices when we are in the field spraying. You’re outside, you’re …
Central Florida grove land sold for about 30% less per net tree acre in 2020 than the year before, according to a firm that sells much Florida land. Brian Beasley, senior advisor at SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler in Lakeland, reported the sales in the firm’s Lay of the Land 2020 Market Report. “We assume most of this decrease (in prices) …
At Central Life Sciences, we recognize our role in educating citrus growers on the importance of protecting their citrus investment from fire ants. Our solutions provide growers with effective and economical products. For citrus growers looking to protect and grow their investment, it is important to not overlook the threat of fire ants. Fire ants are a common insect threat …
Many of the citrus presentations featured on the first day of Citrus Expo, Aug. 18, will focus on “what growers can do now” to keep groves productive, Michael Rogers reports. Rogers, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, offers what he calls “a 30,000-foot view” of the citrus seminar …
Citrus greening disease appears to be a problem for the foreseeable future for Florida growers. But what if growers could improve nutrition so trees could better cope with the disease? Scientists at Douglas Plant Health believe biofertilizers have that capability. “Think about it from a human health standpoint,” says Marcus Jones, vice president of research and development at Douglas Plant …
Scientist Sarah Strauss has learned some interesting and promising things about the use of cover crops in Southwest Florida citrus over the past 2.5 years. But the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher has not yet found that cover crops provide what growers seek most — increased yields. Use of the crops has also not yet …
Lucerne (also known as alfalfa) interplanting improved citrus gall wasp (CGW) control in Australia’s New South Wales (NSW). The interplanting is practiced by some citrus growers in NSW to suppress weeds, reduce soil compaction and improve soil fertility. Jianhua Mo of the NSW Department of Primary Industries addressed the matter; a summary of Mo’s comments follows. One possible explanation is …
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla The Mexican lemon sector has set its sights on an interesting commercial market — Russia. Despite COVID-19, Russia continues to offer very good commercial options for this citrus fruit from the Aztec country. “The Russian market is very important for the Mexican citrus sector, which currently has a business strategy to diversify its export markets, and …
August brings the biggest issue of Citrus Industry magazine of the year! That’s due to the annual Citrus, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Expo on Aug. 18-19 in North Fort Myers, Florida. The August issue serves as the show guide to the event and includes the seminar schedule, an exhibitor directory and everything attendees need to make the most of the …
I recently acquired a visitor’s guide for Plymouth Citrus Products Cooperative. The guide invited visitors to tour the cooperative’s facilities located in where else but Plymouth, Florida, which is between Orlando and Leesburg. According to the guide, the cooperative provided “quality canned and frozen citrus products, citrus pulp and molasses.” Visitors were encouraged to take a guided tour that showcased …
