Black Spot Management by Variety and Age

Josh McGillBrazil, Diseases

In Brazil’s São Paulo citrus belt, infections of fruit by black spot usually occur from petal fall, in September/October, until the end of the rainy season, usually in April. Black spot can reduce production by up to 85%. Some studies have shown that the amount of fungicide applications to control black spot can be established according to the orange variety. …

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 …

Rust Mite Damage and Management

Josh McGillBrazil, Pests

Phyllocoptruta oleivora, known as the false rust mite in Brazil, is one of the country’s main citrus pests, Fundecitrus reported. In the United States, the pest is known as citrus rust mite or silver mite. It affects all varieties of citrus. Infestation in Brazil’s orchards occurs throughout the year but reaches the highest populations between December and June. That’s a …

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 …

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 …

Oranges and OJ in China: Production and Trade

Josh McGillChina, Crop Forecast, Orange Juice

Orange production in China is expected to increase in 2022–23 over the prior year, while its orange juice (OJ) production is forecast to decline. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDAFAS). ORANGESChina’s orange production in 2022–23 is forecast to reach 7.6 million metric tons (MMT), up from 7.55 MMT the prior year. The …

Costa Rican

Mexican Orange Production and Trade

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, Mexico, Orange Juice

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 …

production

Australia Orange Juice Production and Trade

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, Orange Juice

Orange juice (OJ) production in Australia in 2022–23 is forecast at 16,100 metric tons (MT), a decrease of 2% from the 2021–22 season’s 16,500 MT. In 2020–21, the country’s OJ production reached 17,400 MT. The 2022–23 forecast was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS).   The planted area of juicing orange varieties, accounting for 36% …

Leafminer Management Helps Fight Canker

Josh McGillDiseases, Pest Management

Brazilian citrus association Fundecitrus has alerted growers that proper management to combat citrus canker in orchards begins with leafminer control. The leafminer is a pest that has been present in Brazilian citriculture since 1996. According to Fundecitrus researcher Franklin Behlau, the leafminer does not spread citrus canker disease from one plant to another or even to different parts of it. …

Economic Perspectives on the 2021–22 Florida Processed Orange Season

Josh McGillEconomics

By Thomas H. Spreen The timing of Hurricane Ian is not unlike that of Hurricane Irma in September of 2017 in that it struck before the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop forecast was released in October, but after the data collection process was already completed for the forecast. Therefore, the USDA forecast will not take Hurricane Ian’s impacts into …

Fundecitrus Researchers Attend Citrus Congress

Josh McGillEvents, International

Researchers from Brazil’s Fundecitrus participated in the 14th International Citrus Congress held in Mersin, Turkey, Nov. 6–11. The event brought together participants from public and private research institutions, as well as the production and commercial sectors of citrus. Representatives from 28 countries participated in the congress, including the United States, South Africa, Australia, Israel and several countries in Europe. Fundecitrus …

Orange Peels

Citrosuco Launches Natural Ingredients Unit

Josh McGillBrazil, Industry News Release

The Brazilian company Citrosuco recently announced the launch of Evera, a new business unit that will produce natural ingredients for different industries. The natural ingredients will come through reuse technology of orange waste, including husks, peels, leaves, flowers and seeds. Evera pointed out that Brazil produces approximately 13 million tons of oranges annually, equivalent to 320 million boxes, but only …

citrus forecast

Global Citrus Statistics Released

Josh McGillInternational

The World Citrus Organisation (WCO) recently released a new publication, Citrus World Statistics, for WCO members to boost citrus sector information exchange. The extensive publication compiled by CIRAD covers global citrus data for the period of summer 2021 to winter 2021–2022. CIRAD is the French agricultural research and cooperation organization working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions. The …

Dreyfus Orange Juice Has 30% Less Sugar

Tacy CalliesOrange Juice

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has announced the development of a new product made from not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice that offers a 30% reduction in natural sugar content. The new product has more than triple the dietary fiber content while preserving original taste (Brix value) and vitamin C level, the company stated.     The product is the result of a five-year effort …

OJ Helps Modulate Blood Glucose Levels

Josh McGillBrazil, Orange Juice, Research

Recent Brazilian research indicates that the bioactive compounds in orange juice (OJ) help to modulate blood glucose levels and may even promote health improvements. The research was conducted by the Food Research Center of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo. The research was highlighted in Fundecitrus’ Citricultor magazine. According to principal researcher Franco Lajolo, oranges …

Irrigation Contributes to Rising Yields in São Paulo

Josh McGillBrazil, Irrigation, Production

Use of irrigation for citrus in Brazil’s state of São Paulo has grown by almost 33% in the last six years, according to Citricultor magazine, published by Fundecitrus. The magazine cites irrigation and other improved growing practices as causes for a continuing yield rate acceleration.      In 35 years, citrus production per hectare in São Paulo has leaped by about 178%, …

World Citrus Organisation Sets Priorities

Josh McGillIndustry News Release, International

The World Citrus Organisation (WCO) recently announced its 2022–2024 strategy priorities for what it calls “future building” the global citrus community. The five priorities are membership, engagement, statistics, nutrition and health, and promotion.  MEMBERSHIPIn 2022–2024, the WCO membership will be further consolidated to include the top citrus-producing countries and the top citrus-exporting countries. These include Africa, Brazil, China, Egypt, Greece, …

OJ Magnate Cutrale Dies

Josh McGillBrazil, Orange Juice

Fundecitrus reported that Brazilian orange juice magnate José Luis Cutrale died Aug. 17 in London, England. Fundecitrus issued the following comments: “José Luis Cutrale worked in several areas of activity: in the commercialization of fruits, in the cultivation of citrus and in the orange juice industry. “With his very high level of entrepreneurship, he raised the name of Brazil internationally, …

production

European Lemon Crop Down; Grapefruit Up

Josh McGillGrapefruit, International, lemons

The European Union (EU) lemon crop for 2021–22 is expected to decline from the previous season while its grapefruit crop is projected to rise. LEMONEU lemon production is forecast at 1.5 million metric tons (MMT), down from the 1.7 MMT estimated for the previous season. Spain is the EU’s largest lemon producer and accounts for nearly 65% of EU production. …

study

Liberibacter Relative Mutating Rapidly

Josh McGillBrazil, Diseases

A bacterial species closely related to citrus greening disease is rapidly evolving its ability to infect insect hosts and possibly plants. The newly identified species belongs to Liberibacter, a family of bacteria known to infect several economically important crops. There are nine known Liberibacter species, including three that are associated with citrus greening.  Citrus greening, also known as huanglongbing or …