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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Fresh”
“The local market has improved since last season,” says citrus grower Chip Henry. “I’ve gained customers, and existing ones are buying more. When people know the fruit is being harvested, they seek out that local supply and want to support their local farmers.” Henry grows 12 acres of organic Valencias at McGuire Groves in Apopka, Florida, and sells his fruit …
Although it was National OJ Day, the Southwest Florida Small Farmers Network held its spring meeting May 4 at a Polk County facility growing citrus for the fresh market. The Story Companies and Dundee Citrus Growers Association (CGA) conducted a tour of Story’s 11-acre citrus under protective screen (CUPS) pod. The Story pod is one of numerous such pods at …
A nomination meeting for the Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC) will be held via Zoom at 10 a.m. on April 21. The meeting may be accessed here. Nominations for all grower districts, as well as a shipper/handler meeting, will be conducted. The CAC Nominating Committee has offered a draft slate for consideration, but additional nominations are encouraged and can be offered …
Florida growers, packers and shippers of fresh fruit are being asked to take a survey that will help guide programs addressing fresh fruit decay. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher Mark Ritenour said he’d like as many survey responses as possible by mid-November. Ritenour said funding has been provided from a Florida Citrus Packers/U.S. Department of …
U.S. citrus production for the fresh market was estimated at 3.45 million tons in 2020-21, down 6% from the previous season, with smaller fresh-market crops of oranges (down 11%), grapefruit (down 15%) and lemons (down 6%). The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reported the production levels in September. ORANGES DOWNRepresenting just under half of all U.S. citrus production …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that fresh citrus producers voted to continue the marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida. The marketing order requires a continuance referendum be held every six years. In a referendum held Oct. 19 to Nov. 9, 2020, 99 percent of Florida producers, representing 94 percent …
By Mark A. Ritenour The holiday season is a busy time for sending friends and family thoughtful gifts. For Floridians, the abundance of fresh produce during the winter months motivates many to share the experience with others. This is especially true for fresh citrus. Florida’s citrus gift fruit shippers have been supplying such treats for decades. With COVID-19 and a …
By Mark A. Ritenour and Fernando Alferez Color development in citrus during fruit maturation is a complex process that involves chemical and physiological changes. This includes chlorophyll (green pigments) breakdown and carotenoid (orange and yellow pigments) biosynthesis. The final color of each citrus variety mainly depends on the final composition of carotenoids, with citrus being among the richest fruit sources …
Gift fruit shippers occupy just a small niche in Florida citrus, but the sector’s value to the industry is more than annual sales. For anyone seeking a taste of Florida citrus, regardless of where they are in the United States, gift fruit can be shipped with just a few clicks online or a simple telephone call to a Florida gift …
Fruitnet Media International and the World Citrus Organisation are teaming up to host the first-ever Global Citrus Congress Live on Nov. 5. The event is for everyone in the global supply chain of fresh citrus, from the farm gate to the supermarket shelf. The free-to-register online conference will focus on some of the big developments across the citrus category and …
Citrus accounted for 14 percent of the supply of fresh fruit available for Americans to eat in 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reports. In 1970, citrus accounted for 24 percent of available fresh fruit. The drop from 24 percent to 14 percent over 48 years partly reflects American’s expanded fresh fruit options, ERS states. In …
Florida Classic Growers (FCG) announced a partnership with Riverfront Packing Company, LLC; The Packers of Indian River, Inc. and Quality Fruit Packers, Inc. The additional citrus volume from the partnering companies will expand product offerings and increase distribution to FCG’s customers marketed under the Florida Classic label. Riverfront and its marketing arm, Scott Marketing, Inc., will continue handling all sales …
By Sarah Bostick Grocery stores have trained the customer to expect exactly one type of fruit: spotless. Anyone who grows citrus for a living knows that achieving spotless fruit can be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor. There is a growing movement in the United States that is pushing back against the idea that fruits and vegetables must be spotless to …
Summer Citrus from South Africa announced in late May that its first vessel of the year to the United States will arrive at the New York port soon. The vessel will deliver Easy Peeler clementines. More Easy Peelers and some Navel oranges will arrive in Philadelphia in late June. During peak season, Star Ruby grapefruit and Cara-Cara oranges will also …
Even with a projected downturn in production, “fresh citrus movement is projected to increase as a result of new plantings and other favorable conditions,” a Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) official reported recently. Florida Citrus Packers, the trade association for fresh fruit packers and shippers, agreed. Marisa Zansler, FDOC director of economic and market research, noted that the production forecast …
Representatives of the California and Florida fresh citrus industries had distinctly different reactions to the announcement that some fresh citrus from China can now be imported into the United States. California Citrus Mutual President Casey Creamer said, “We don’t anticipate any major disruptions in our fresh markets. It is not anticipated that much volume will come to the U.S.” But …
So far, Florida’s fresh citrus industry reportedly has fared well throughout the coronavirus crisis, with fruit in high demand and no major problems blamed on the pandemic. Doug Bournique, executive vice president of the Indian River Citrus League, said consumer demand has kept packers in his region busy. “Their demand is strong from the supermarkets, the orders are up, and …
Mark Ritenour with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) discusses research efforts to keep Florida’s fresh fruit marketable. Ritenour is a postharvest horticulturist at the Indian River Research and Education Center. Ritenour begins with maximum residue limit requirements for chemicals in fresh citrus for export. A UF/IFAS website provides pesticide residue limits by various major …
Polk County grower Ed Dickinson has good things to say about some orange-mandarin juice and fresh mandarins he sampled at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in November. Dickinson was one of dozens who tried new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) samples. He and others who scored the juice and fruit will help researchers …
Mark Ritenour with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reports on evaluations of new fresh mandarin and sweet orange selections. Ritenour is a professor at the Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce. Ritenour lists four mandarin varieties that had “100 percent healthy fruit” after six or seven weeks in storage, even without being …
