New Citrus Varieties to Be Assessed in Australia

Josh McGillInternational, Varieties

Hort Innovation announced it will invest $987,000 to assess new citrus varieties that are suited to Australian growing conditions. Funded by Hort Innovation’s citrus levy, the project will provide independent assessment of the horticultural performance of new citrus varieties under Australian conditions, as well as testing citrus varieties for trueness-to-type. The assessments will take place in Dareton in New South …

Uruguay Has First HLB Detections

Josh McGillHLB Management, International

The first cases of plants with HLB disease have been confirmed in Uruguay, according to a health emergency note released by the country’s Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries. Plants with symptoms were found in a residence in the city of Bella Unión. After laboratory analysis, the presence of the disease was confirmed. Inspections were carried out in the homes …

South Africa OJ Production to Rise

Josh McGillInternational, Orange Juice

Production of orange juice (OJ) in South Africa is estimated to rise by 6% to 33,120 metric tons (MT) in 2022–23, up from 31,320 MT in 2021–22. The estimate issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) is based on improved domestic orange production. In 2020–21, South Africa produced only an estimated 22,140 MT of OJ, …

EU Citrus Crops to Decline

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

The European Union’s (EU) production of tangerines/mandarins, lemons and grapefruit are all projected to decline in 2022–23 compared to the prior season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) made the EU citrus projections. TANGERINES/MANDARINSEU tangerine and mandarin production in 2022–23 is forecast at 3.01 million metric tons (MMT), down from 3.15 MMT the previous season. Good …

Small Drops for Chinese Citrus Crops

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

Chinese production of tangerines/mandarins and grapefruit/pomelos in 2022–23 are both forecast to dip slightly from prior year levels. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). TANGERINES AND MANDARINSProduction of tangerines and mandarins is forecast at 26.5 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022–23, compared to 27 MMT the prior year. The forecast reflects …

South African

Much Less Citrus Production in Turkey

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

Fresh mandarin/tangerine, lemon and grapefruit production in Turkey is forecast to decline in 2022–23 compared to the prior year due to freezing temperatures in March 2022. Orange juice (OJ) production will likely be unchanged, while orange production will significantly decline. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS).   TANGERINES/MANDARINSOverall tangerine production is forecast …

Leading Citrus Producers of the World

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

Brazil will continue to lead the world in orange and orange juice production in 2022–23. China continues to produce the most tangerines/mandarins and grapefruit. Mexico will remain the largest producer of lemons and limes.  Global production of all varieties is forecast to be lower in 2022–23 than in the prior year. These projections were made by the U.S. Department of …

Update on Japanese Citrus

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently issued forecasts for Japanese citrus production. Covered crops included the following: ORANGESJapanese 2022–23 orange production is forecast at 5,600 metric tons (MT), a decline of 2% from the previous year. Orange harvested area is projected to fall by 1.2% to 395 hectares. Orange imports are forecast at 80,000 MT …

Trialing Tree Immunizations for HLB, Xylella

Josh McGillHLB Management, International, Research

Australia’s Hort Innovation has announced an $8.7 million investment to trial tree immunizations that protect Australia’s horticulture industries against the deadly huanglongbing (HLB) and Xylella diseases (including citrus variegated chlorosis). Hort Innovation is a grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australia’s horticulture industry. Hort Innovation Chief Executive Brett Fifield said the investment aims to safeguard key Australian horticulture industries by …

Drought to Cut Argentine Lemon Production

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, lemons

Due to a drought, lemon production in Argentina is forecast to decline to 1.77 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022–23, down 130,000 metric tons (MT) from the prior year. The drought is expected to continue through the Southern Hemisphere summer of 2023 due in part to the third La Niña weather pattern in a row. The forecast was issued by …

Morocco’s

Sizeable Citrus Crop Declines in Morocco

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast production of oranges, orange juice (OJ) and lemons/limes in Morocco to decline in 2022–23 compared to the previous season. FRESH ORANGESOrange production in Morocco is expected to decline 35% to 750,000 metric tons (MT). The decline is attributed to unfavorable weather during the growing season, water shortages and …

South African

Most Israeli Citrus Crops to Increase

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

Production increases are forecast for Israeli mandarins/tangerines, grapefruit and lemons in 2022–23 compared to the prior year, while orange production is projected to decline sharply. The forecast is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). MANDARIN/TANGERINETotal mandarin and tangerine production in 2022–23 is forecast at 170,000 metric tons (MT), up from 159,000 MT the prior season. …

European Orange and OJ Production

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, Orange Juice

European Union (EU) production of oranges and orange juice (OJ) are projected to decline in 2022–23 from the prior year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) projected. ORANGESOrange production in the EU is forecast at 5.8 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022–23, a 12% reduction from the prior season. The decline is mainly explained by production …

Mandarin Production in Japan

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, Mandarins

Tangerine/mandarin production in Japan for 2022–23 is forecast at 921,000 metric tons (MT), down 3.5% compared to the prior year. Tangerines/mandarins account for a majority of Japan’s citrus production, and the Unshu is expected to be the leading mandarin variety at 722,000 MT. Non-Unshu varieties are forecast at 199,000 MT. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture …

Florida

All About Peru’s Mandarin/Tangerine Industry

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, Mandarins

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast Peruvian mandarin/tangerine production at 550,000 metric tons (MT) in 2022–23, decreasing 4% from the previous year. Peruvian mandarin/tangerine production area is estimated at 23,000 hectares. Harvest season runs from March to November. The major mandarin/tangerine production areas are in the central semi-tropical coastal regions with good availability of …

Significant Decline in Turkey Orange Production

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, Export/Import, International

Orange production in Turkey is forecast at 1.4 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022–23, a decline of 20% from the prior year production of 1.75 MMT. The forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) blames the decline on freezing weather during the beginning of the orange blossoming period in March 2022. The yield loss is …

Argentina Orange and Tangerine Update

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

Orange production in Argentina in 2022–23 is expected to fall to 800,000 metric tons (MT) compared to 830,000 MT the prior year. Tangerine production is projected to remain at 380,000 MT. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). La Niña-related drought is expected to have a negative effect on fruit production, especially …

Australia on Pace for Record Mandarin Exports

Josh McGillExport, International, Mandarins

Australian tangerine and mandarin production in 2022–23 is forecast at 190,000 metric tons (MT), a 9% increase over the 2021–22 estimate of 175,000 MT. This growth is predominantly related to a young tree age profile, with an increasing area of plantings entering production. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS).   From …

Argentine

Pest Risk Assessment of Citrus Imports From Egypt

Josh McGillInternational, Pests, Regulation

Editor’s note: The comment period has been extended to give stakeholders additional time to submit comments. The draft pest risk assessment will be available for review and comment until March 14, 2023. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has drafted a pest risk assessment for the importation of fresh oranges and tangerines from Egypt into …

South Africa Lemons/Limes to Hit Historic High

Josh McGillInternational, lemons, Limes

Production of fresh lemons and limes in South Africa is forecast to grow by 2% in 2022–23, bringing it to a historic high of 660,000 metric tons (MT). This forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) is based on conducive weather conditions and a growing number of young trees approaching full production. In 2021–22, South …