Cold-Hardy Citrus Exceeds Yield and Quality Forecast

Josh McGillCold Hardy

Cold Hardy Citrus Association (CHCA) growers predicted this year’s harvest would be favorable at the season’s start, and groves are producing beyond those early expectations. “We are seeing good quality, bigger size and lots of volume left to pick on trees, especially for satsumas,” said CHCA President Kim Jones. CHCA represents growers, handlers, shippers and allied businesses in North Florida, South …

Citrus Congress

Indian Tariff Reduction to Boost Australian Citrus

Josh McGillInternational, Trade

Tariffs on Australian citrus exported to India will be cut in half Dec. 29 following the finalization of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA), Citrus Australia announced. Both the Australian and Indian governments have ratified the agreement. The agreement will allow Australian citrus exporters to export oranges and mandarins to India under a tariff-reduced quota system. The current …

New Dollars Flow to Citrus Research Projects

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, Research

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently received a large grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Michael Rogers provided details of the grant totaling $16.5 million during the latest All In For Citrus podcast. Rogers is the director of the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in …

HLB Resistance Is Citrus Breeding Program’s Primary Focus

Josh McGillBreeding

Citrus breeding is conducted at different research facilities across Florida. But the objective remains the same for University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) breeders: Develop HLB-resistant citrus. That is the goal for Jose Chaparro, UF/IFAS associate professor in Gainesville. His research will impact citrus produced in the North Florida and South Georgia regions. “If you look …

Sustainable Citrus Group Meets in Brazil

Josh McGillBrazil, Research

Researchers, professors and representatives of institutions participating in a sustainable citrus project recently visited Brazil’s Fundecitrus for a progress meeting. The project is Sustainable Citrus Culture Through the Controlled Release of Antibacterial Compounds From Formulations Based on Microgels. The project aims to develop sustainable technologies for the protection of citrus and as an alternative to copper, which is recognized as …

Hurricane Aid Sought for Florida Citrus Industry

Josh McGillhurricane

The Florida citrus industry has an urgent need for disaster aid in the wake of Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, 17 members of Florida’s congressional delegation advised the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations.  In a Dec. 8 letter, the U.S. representatives stated that Hurricane Ian impacts caused an estimated $675.5 million in preliminary damages to the industry. They reported that damage …

Forecast for Florida Citrus Production Plummets

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast

The first federal citrus crop forecast to take into account damage from September’s Hurricane Ian dropped Florida’s projected orange crop for 2022–23 to 20 million boxes. That’s 29% below the initial forecast of 28 million boxes in October, 51% less than last season’s final production of 41.05 million boxes and the lowest orange forecast in many decades. Florida’s non-Valencia and …

Florida Citrus Show Update

Josh McGillEvents

In March, AgNet Media purchased the assets of Florida Grower magazine, which included the Florida Citrus Show. The show has been an important event, hosted in the Indian River citrus-growing region for many years. AgNet Media intends to continue presenting the show but is currently evaluating ways to improve it with new ideas to optimize the experience for citrus growers …

Citrus Growers Get Update on Trunk Injection

Josh McGillHLB Management

The Gulf Citrus Growers Association (GCGA) hosted a luncheon on Dec. 7 at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center featuring a presentation by Tom Johnson, chief executive officer of TJ BioTech. The company is the manufacturer of ReMedium TI, the widely discussed formulation of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCI) that has shown promise as a treatment for HLB. The product is …

Seeing Success With Louisiana Citrus Grown Indoors

Josh McGillLouisiana

A three-year Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) study is investigating the pros and cons of growing citrus inside or in containers. “So far, we are finding that the pros are outnumbering cons,” said Anna Timmerman, LSU AgCenter horticulture agent in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Early results of Timmerman’s research show that growing citrus indoors produces a high-quality …

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 …

Citrus Sampling of Varieties Grown in Gainesville

Josh McGillVarieties

Consumers have different tastebuds that make them prefer certain fruit more than others. What one may like, another may reject. This is especially true in the citrus industry where palate and consumer preference play a role in what varieties growers choose to produce. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) campus in Gainesville hosted a recent …

Updates for Citrus Nutrient Best Management Practices

Josh McGillBMPs, Nutrition

By Kelly T. Morgan, Davie Kadyampakeni and Tripti Vashisth This article reviews current University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus fertilizer recommendations and provides updated information about recently approved recommendations for secondary macronutrients and micronutrients. Citrus growers have been very concerned about fertilizer applications and nutrient management since citrus greening (huanglongbing or HLB) was found in …

Northern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast Drops

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

The World Citrus Organisation’s (WCO) Northern Hemisphere citrus production forecast for the 2022–23 season is 25.958 million tons, a 13% decrease from the prior season. Production of every citrus variety in the Northern Hemisphere is forecast to dip by more than 11%. The forecast is based on data from Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United …

citrus

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 …

June

All In For Citrus Podcast, November 2022

Tacy CalliesAll In For Citrus Podcast, hurricane, Research

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) recently received a large grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Michael Rogers provides details of the $16.5 million grant during the November All In For Citrus podcast. Rogers is the director of the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake …

Citrus Breeder: Growers Need to Think More Out of the Box

Tacy CalliesCold Hardy

If cold-hardy citrus growers diversified their crops and not put all of their eggs in the satsuma basket, it would provide them a better chance at long-term sustainability. It would allow producers an opportunity to combat the negative national stigma concerning citrus juices, says Jude Grosser, a professor of plant cell genetics at the University of Florida Institute of Food …

Ian, GMOs and Marketing Discussed at Citrus Commission Meeting

Josh McGillFlorida Citrus Commission, hurricane, Marketing

Many media inquiries about Florida citrus following Hurricane Ian were addressed by Florida Department of Citrus marketing agency Edible. Alex Armentano of Edible told the Florida Citrus Commission during its October meeting that the agency worked closely with Florida Citrus Mutual and other partners to respond to media requests. Edible worked with partners to create materials and messaging and to …

Sneak Peek: December 2022 Citrus Industry

Tacy CalliesNutrition, Regulation, Sneak Peek

Need the latest nutrient recommendations for growing citrus in Florida? Find updates for nutrient best management practices in the December issue of Citrus Industry magazine. The article, by Kelly Morgan, Davie Kadyampakeni and Tripti Vashisth, details recently approved recommendations for secondary macronutrients and micronutrients. The new advice is based on University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) …

Satsuma Overload: Citrus Growers Need to Diversify

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Varieties

Citrus harvest season is in full swing across the North Florida/South Georgia production region. One thing is certain this season: Growers need to diversify their farming operations with citrus varieties other than satsuma mandarins. Grower Kim Jones, who also owns a citrus packing facility in Monticello, Florida, and is part-owner of a similar facility in Tifton, Georgia, discussed the high …