A wider diversity of weeds and insects in organic Mexican citrus orchards compared to conventional orchards aids in control of the HLB-spreading Asian citrus psyllid (ACP/Diaphorina citri), a Mexican scientist reported recently. HLB is also known as citrus greening disease. “In the organic orchard, there are almost double the species of weeds compared to the conventional orchard,” Carlos Castillejos Cruz …
How Mexico Has Dealt With HLB
Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recently pointed out ways the country has successfully dealt with huanglongbing (HLB), the most devastating disease of citrus worldwide. The ministry reported that the disease has triggered socioeconomic problems in other citrus-producing countries and regions in the Americas, Africa and Asia. “With appropriate agronomic-phytosanitary management, the life of affected trees can be prolonged, …
Mexico’s Citrus Crops Expected to Slide
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast Mexico’s crops of lemons, limes and grapefruit will be lower in 2022–23 than in the prior year. LEMON/LIMEThe lemon/lime production forecast for 2022–23 is 2.8 million metric tons (MMT), 7% lower than the previous year. Lemons and limes are the second largest category of citrus produced in Mexico, …
Mexican Orange Production and Trade
Mexican orange production in 2022–23 is forecast at 4.2 million metric tons (MMT), 9% lower than the previous year, due to prolonged drought in northeastern Mexico. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). Mexico is estimated to be the fifth-largest orange producer in the world behind Brazil, China, India and the United …
Mexico OJ Exports Increasing
Mexico is the second leading exporter of orange juice (OJ), following only Brazil, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economist Marisa Zansler reported recently. She said Mexico’s OJ exports increased incrementally in recent seasons in response to the decline in world OJ supplies. Excerpts from Zansler’s FDOC document, Florida Citrus Outlook 2021-22 Season, follow. Although a net exporter of orange juice, …
Mexican Lemon Sector Seeks Russian Market
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 …
Mexico Could Increase Organic Citrus Production
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla Citrus growers in Mexico are beginning to explore types of production that are more respectful of the environment and associated with a healthier lifestyle, including organic production. “The organic citrus sector is still small, as its market share does not reach 5%, but gradually foreign demand is causing organic citrus to have an increasing presence in …
Mexican Lemon Sector Sets Sights on Asia
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla The Mexican lemon sector is betting on the diversification of international markets and has its sights set on the Asian market. Oliver Huesmann, director of Fruit Consulting and expert in the Asian market, says lemons have possibilities in all Asian countries. “What is needed is a promotion of this Mexican product so that the consumer knows …
Mexico Considers Quality Seal for Lemons
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla Due to the importance of differentiation in international markets, the Mexican lemon sector is studying the possibility of creating a national quality seal for its lemons. “The future of our lemons must involve the creation of a national quality seal, which will differentiate them from countries such as Egypt, Turkey or South Africa, and thus generate …
Mexican Lemon Sector Seeking to Improve and Expand Reach
By Francisco Seva Rivadulla According to Bernardo Bravo, president of the National Committee of the Mexican Lemon Product System, Mexican lemons are produced on more than 90,000 hectares distributed in the states of Michoacán, Colima, Oaxaca and Guerrero. Regarding the challenges facing this sector, Bravo points out that “global phytosanitary alerts regarding citrus growing are increasingly latent and present …
Some Citrus Recovery Expected in Mexico
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service recently issued a report on the citrus industry in Mexico. Some highlights follow. ORANGEOrange production in the 2020-21 marketing year is forecast to partially rebound after drought decimated last year’s crop by nearly 40 percent. Residual soil health effects and low producer investments in orchard rehabilitation will prohibit full production recovery. Lack …
Mutual Testifies on OJ From Mexico
Florida Citrus Mutual Executive Vice President and CEO Mike Sparks recently testified to federal officials regarding the effects of orange juice (OJ) imports from Mexico. His testimony to the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was part of a larger hearing on trade with Mexico and the U.S. …
Overview of Mexico’s Citrus Industry
Ricardo Martinez Zambrano, director of sales for North America with Citrofrut, summarizes a Mexican citrus industry report he delivered at the recent International Citrus Business Conference. Zambrano says oranges account for about 56 percent of Mexico’s total citrus production, but “there is no official source in Mexico that does the estimation.” An area of eastern Mexico has about 80 percent …