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News for citrus growers around the globe
Total citrus exports from the Southern Hemisphere fell in 2024 after several years of marked growth. The main culprit was South Africa, which contributed two-thirds of the Southern Hemisphere’s exports at 2.23 million tons. SOUTH AFRICA South Africa is by far the main exporter of fresh citrus in the Southern Hemisphere. In this region, South Africa is traditionally the largest …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $70 million in the Plant Protection Act program. This includes funding of 357 projects in fiscal year 2025. The work will strengthen the country’s defenses against plant pests and diseases, safeguard the U.S. nursery system, and enhance pest detection and mitigation efforts. Part of the funding is going …
Production of all citrus varieties in Türkiye in 2024–25 is forecast to decline, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported. ORANGES Orange production is projected to decline 30% from the prior year to 1.6 million metric tons (MMT). The decline is due to excessive hot weather conditions during the blooming period in spring 2024. Yield per …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) made changes to two Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine areas in Texas on Dec. 6. They reduced the Brownsville Mexfly quarantine area in Cameron County and the Harlingen-Sebastian Mexfly quarantine area in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties. However, on Dec. 20, …
Recently, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reported research on the development of a new type of citrus tree that can fight off the HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). The genetically modified tree has only been tested in the lab and the greenhouse, but the research looks promising. The approach involves inserting a gene into …
The citrus section in the February issue of Specialty Crop Grower is coming soon. It’s full of features for growers to dive into. First up is part two of results from the Florida Citrus State of the Industry Survey. (See part one here.) Learn out what percent of growers say they are replanting and how many are participating in the …
Growers in the cold-hardy citrus region should consider fungicide application following snow last week and multiple days of running irrigation for freeze irrigation. That advice comes from Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association, on the heels of historic snowfall recorded across the Southeast. “I’ve heard some people having up to 10 inches of snow where we grow …
The new year is off and running at a brisk pace. The Trump administration came to office with a large agenda and has begun to put it into action. With a new administration at the helm, now is a good time to assess how policies and economics could affect agriculture. Danny Munch will be speaking at this year’s Florida Citrus …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) has forecast Egypt’s orange production to decrease by almost 12% in 2024–25, to 3.7 million metric tons (MMT). The decrease is attributed to higher temperatures for long periods at the beginning of the fruit set, which negatively impacts production. Most of Egypt’s orange production comes from commercial farms on reclaimed desert …
By Meryam Manzoor, Jamie D. Burrow, Taylor Livingston and Tripti Vashisth Effective nutrient management and accurate nutritional analysis are critical for tree growth and maximum yield. Historically, nutrient management for healthy citrus trees involved annual leaf sampling from July to August, with subsequent fertilization plans based on a single nutrient analysis. Almost all commercial citrus groves in Florida are affected …
After being postponed this fall due to Hurricane Milton, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) hosted its annual Citrus Nutrition Day on Jan. 22 at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. The event was well attended and featured several presentations aimed at optimizing citrus nutrition programs in the HLB era. UF/IFAS …
Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is expanding the sweet orange scab quarantine in the Santa Ana area of Orange County in California. APHIS is expanding this quarantined area by 32 square miles because of a sweet orange scab detection in …
Foodshed.io and The Kroger Company have worked together to launch Georgia Sunnies – Extra Friendly, a new citrus brand. The brand is helping local, small growers to bring citrus to market at select Kroger stores throughout Georgia. Foodshed.io is an agricultural technology company that specializes in local food supply chains. “Family citrus growers take a lot of risk in planting …
The University of Florida honored College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) alumnus Michael Joyner (Bachelor of Science, 1986) with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. He was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the agriculture industry and his dedication to serving the university. Throughout his career, Joyner has made a lasting impact on the lives of agriculturists, shaping policies and initiatives …
The Citrus AI app created by Rohan Dash, an 11th-grade student at Pine View School in Sarasota County, earned first place in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for the 17th Congressional District of Florida. The app is designed to support Florida’s citrus industry by analyzing crop health, predicting threats and optimizing resource usage. “Rohan Dash’s Citrus AI app stands out …
Citrus in the cold-hardy region of South Georgia, South Alabama and North Florida encountered below-freezing temperatures and historic snowfall all week. Growers are now taking stock of their groves, surveying damage and preparing for what to do next, which includes managing phytophthora. “Most all of the crop was in, so there was very little exposure there. There’s a little bit …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) recently forecast that Korea’s tangerine/mandarin production will decline 2.6% in marketing year 2024–25, to 565,000 metric tons (MT). Korea doesn’t produce oranges or grapefruit and only a small crop of lemons — an estimated 550 MT on 35 hectares in 2023. LOW FORECAST The tangerine/mandarin forecast, if realized, would be the …
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In 1924, a group of citrus growers in Winter Haven decided to showcase Florida’s burgeoning citrus industry with a celebration they originally called the Winter Haven Orange Festival. The event included business booths, beautiful displays of citrus fruit and a search for a young woman to represent the industry during the three-day festival. The festival was …
The 2024–25 Australian orange crop will increase from the prior year while orange juice (OJ) production will dip, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) forecast recently. ORANGES UP USDA FAS projects fresh Australian orange production at 545,000 metric tons (MT) in marketing year 2024–25 (April 2025 to March 2026). That would be the highest production level …
For a quarter of a century, the Citrus Achievement Award has grown into the gold standard of industry recognition for those who have made and continue to make a significant impact within and even beyond the Florida citrus community. The Citrus Achievement Award is presented to an individual grower, allied member, legislator, researcher or anyone else who stands out through …
