Lemon Price Crisis in Spain

Tacy CalliesInternational, lemons

By Francisco Seva Rivadulla The Spanish lemon sector is going through one of the worst price crises in recent years. Currently, prices at origin for Fino lemons are 0.15 to 0.18 euro cents per kilo, while the production cost is 0.20 per kilo. Therefore, Spanish producers are losing money this harvest season, according to sources from the Agricultural Association of …

Consumption and Production Trends in Global Lemons/Limes

Ashley RobinsonCrop Forecast, International, lemons, Limes

Global lemon and lime production for 2020-21 is forecast down slightly to 8.3 million tons as lower production in Argentina and the United States more than offsets gains in the European Union and Mexico. Global consumption and exports are forecast up with less fruit being used for processing. These findings are from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. …

Imports Threaten EU Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesInternational

By Francisco Seva Rivadulla Citrus imports in the European Union (EU) are causing a large oversupply in the market. According to the Valencian Association of Farmers, the largest organization of agricultural producers in Spain, a new record of 2,198,146 tons of citrus were exported to the EU from January to October 2020. This represents an increase of 15.4% over the …

Record Grapefruit Production and Consumption

Ashley RobinsonCrop Forecast, Grapefruit, International

Global grapefruit production in 2020-21 is forecast up slightly to a record 6.9 million tons due to favorable weather and expanded area in China and Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Additionally, global consumption is forecast to reach a new record with the higher supplies as exports grow to their highest level in three …

Tangerine and Mandarin Global Production to Increase

Ashley RobinsonCrop Forecast, International

Global tangerine and mandarin production for 2020-21 is forecast up slightly to 33.1 million tons with larger supplies in China, the European Union, Morocco and Turkey, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Consumption and exports are both up with the increase in supply. China production of tangerines and mandarins is forecast to rise slightly to a …

usda

Grapefruit Production in EU to Stay Stable

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, International

European Union (EU) grapefruit production is forecast to remain stable in 2020-21 at 96,000 metric tons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. EU area planted to the crop stands at about 3,300 hectares. Spain, the EU’s largest grapefruit producer, expects its production to remain flat at 73,000 metric tons. The leading producing areas in Spain include …

FDOC on Global Marketing Efforts

Ernie NeffInternational, Marketing

A 25 percent tariff placed on Florida grapefruit in Europe has had some impact on retail supply, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Director of Global Marketing Samantha Lane told the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) in early February. The FCC is the FDOC’s governing board. Lane said the FDOC worked with the European industry to ensure Florida-loyal retailers continued to have …

Argentina Sweet Citrus Sees Increase

Ernie NeffInternational

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported that sweet citrus production in Argentina is forecast to increase in 2020-21. Sweet citrus refers to fresh oranges and tangerines. Orange production is expected to climb 7.5 percent from the prior season to 700,000 metric tons; tangerine production is forecast to jump 16 percent to 360,000 metric tons. Sweet citrus …

sour

European Lemon Production Trending Upward

Ernie NeffInternational

European Union (EU) lemon production in 2020-21 is forecast to increase by almost 11 percent from last season, to 1.64 million metric tons (MMT), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). EU planted area for the citrus variety continues trending upward at around 78,000 hectares. Spain is the union’s largest lemon producer with a forecast of …

Mandarin Production to Increase in Europe

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast, International

European Union (EU) mandarin production for 2020-21 is forecast to rise 10 percent from the previous year, to 3.1 million metric tons (MMT). The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported this figure. The higher production is mainly the result of expected increases in major mandarin-producing nations Spain and Italy. Spain’s production is forecast to rise strongly to …

china

Production of OJ to Climb in Europe

Ernie NeffInternational, Orange Juice

European Union (EU) orange juice (OJ) production is forecast to climb almost 8 percent in 2020-21 compared to the previous year, to 87,987 metric tons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. The forecast is in line with the expected growth in the volume of European oranges destined for processing this season, especially from Spain and Italy. …

Argentina Lemon Production to See Sharp Drop

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast, International

Fresh lemon production in Argentina is forecast at 1.03 million metric tons in 2020-21, down 30 percent compared to the previous marketing year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported these figures. Low spring temperatures seem to have significantly affected production and, coupled with the ongoing drought, resulted in reduced fruit size. As a result of the …

Larger European Orange Crop Expected

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast, International

The European Union’s (EU) orange production is forecast at 6.55 million metric tons (MMT) for 2020-21, up 5.6 percent from the previous year and 3 percent higher than the 10-year average. That’s according to a recent EU citrus report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). The higher forecast is mainly due to expected increases in orange …

China Orange and OJ Forecasts

Ernie NeffForecast, International

Orange production in China is forecast to grow to 7.5 million metric tons (MMT) in 2020–21, up from 7.4 MMT in 2019–20, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. The increase will be driven mainly by new trees planted a few years ago in Jiangxi and other provinces. Those trees have started to produce more fruit. FAS …

citrus

Disappointing Decision on Australia’s Juice Rating

Ernie NeffInternational, Orange Juice

Citrus Australia expressed disappointment at the Nov. 27 decision by state ministers to endorse a Health Star Rating system that gives diet cola a higher rating than fresh Australian juice. The Food Regulation Forum, comprised of ministers from every Australian state and territory, rejected Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud’s proposal to award fresh juice 4 stars in recognition of its …

Varieties

New Uruguayan Citrus Varieties for Licensing

Ernie NeffInternational, Varieties

The Uruguayan Citrus Consortium has issued an international call for licensing several new mandarin and orange varieties for their evaluation, development, production and commercialization in North America and/or the Mediterranean Basin. The mandarins are F7P3, F4P7, F3P8 and F2P3. The oranges are NVA033, NVA036 and SELP100. An exclusive license is being offered for a period of up to 10 years. …

Global Congress Aims to Increase Citrus Consumption

Tacy CalliesInternational

Citrus suppliers have a unique opportunity to build on the sales momentum generated by the coronavirus pandemic. They should develop joint strategies to increase global consumption based on established health claims, as the avocado sector has done to such powerful effect. That was the take-home message from the inaugural Global Citrus Congress Live on Nov. 5. The virtual event drew …

citrus

Citrus Australia Wants Juice Rating Reconsidered

Ernie NeffInternational, Orange Juice

Citrus Australia says the country’s state governments “will be asked to bring common sense to the Health Star Rating (HSR) system” at a meeting in November. The rating system currently rates diet soft drinks as healthier than fresh Australian juice. Industry bodies have contacted Senator Richard Colbeck, chair of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, asking …

citrus greening

HLB Preparedness in Australia

Ernie NeffHLB Management, International

Learning how other countries manage huanglongbing (HLB) will help shape Australia’s response if the damaging citrus disease hits its shores, according to New South Wales (NSW) citrus pathologist Nerida Donovan. One of the biggest lessons so far has been the importance of treating the psyllid vector with the same respect as the disease. Donovan, with the NSW Department of Primary …

citrus

Global Orange Juice Production to Drop

Ernie NeffInternational, Orange Juice

Global orange juice production for 2019-20 is estimated to slip 23 percent from last season, to 1.6 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Much of the blame falls on Brazil and Mexico, where fewer oranges are expected to be available for processing. Worldwide orange juice consumption is projected to be flat, though not down. …