mexfly

Funding to Protect Texas Citrus

Josh McGillCitrus, Texas

A significant portion of the $3 million the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating to Texas for pest detection, surveillance, identification and threat mitigation is targeted to the state’s citrus industry. Among other citrus-related projects, the USDA is including money to aid Texas in the control of Asian citrus psyllids and the HLB disease they spread. “Texas has more …

Orange Juice in Europe: Production, Consumption and Trade

Josh McGillExport/Import, International, Orange Juice

European Union (EU) orange juice (OJ) production is forecast at 70,390 metric tons (MT) in 2021–22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported. That’s a drop of almost 10% compared to the previous period due to the expected decline in EU orange supply. Spain is the major orange processor in the EU, followed by Italy. Approximately 20% of …

Product Selection Guide: Choosing the Most Effective Tool to Control Fire Ants

Josh McGillSponsored Content

Fire ant problems can be detrimental to your operation. Selecting the right pesticide or solution for a fire ant infestation can help you resolve your fire ant issue effectively. Central Life Sciences has developed a specialized line of products designed to control fire ant populations and protect field workers, growers, wildlife, crops, and equipment. Extinguish® Professional Fire Ant Bait and Extinguish® Plus Fire Ant Bait each …

CRDF Receives Recommendations on Plant Breeding

Josh McGillBreeding, Research

By Rick Dantzler Several months ago, the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) convened a panel of plant-breeding experts from across the country to help us decide where to spend what appears to be a diminishing amount of money for plant breeding. The co-chairs presented their recommendations on Feb. 22 to the CRDF board of directors. The first recommendation was …

citrus

All In for Citrus Podcast, February 2022

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast

The Florida legislative session is well underway in Tallahassee. The University of Florida hosted its annual Gator Day at the Capitol in February to remind lawmakers of all that the school does for its students and stakeholders. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, and fellow citrus team members from the University of Florida Institute of Food …

Sweet Orange Scab and Citrus Canker Movement Conditions Revised

Tacy CalliesDiseases, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has revised the conditions for interstate movement of citrus fruit from areas quarantined for both sweet orange scab (Elsinöe australis, SOS) and citrus canker (Xanthomonas axonopodis, CC). The revisions allow for the movement of fruit to packinghouses located in contiguous states that are not quarantined for either disease. …

Grower Associations Object to H-2A Wage Methodology

Tacy CalliesEconomics, Labor

Florida Citrus Mutual recently published the following statement about comments it submitted regarding the wage rate for temporary foreign H-2A workers: “On January 31, 2022, Florida Citrus Mutual, along with many other agricultural entities nationwide, submitted comments to the United States Department of Labor (USDOL) in reference to the proposed changes to the methodology for the adverse effect wage rate …

Grapefruit Crop to Rise in European Union

Josh McGillGrapefruit, International

European Union (EU) grapefruit production is forecast to grow 2.8% to 108,000 metric tons (MT) in 2021–22, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. The increase is due to an almost 4% expected increase in Spanish grapefruit production. Spain is the major EU grapefruit producer at 84,000 MT. EU grapefruit planted area stands at around 3,600 hectares …

Grapefruit Production and Challenges in Turkey

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, International

In 2021-22, grapefruit production in Turkey is expected to increase 5% over the previous season, totaling 250,000 metric tons (MT), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. In 2020-21, production reached 238,000 MT. Since production costs are high, producers are not satisfied with low consumption and the low sales prices at orchards and wholesale markets. Additionally, orchard …

Florida Orange Forecast Falls Again

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast, Florida

Florida’s projected 2021–22 orange crop was reduced by 1 million boxes, to 43.5 million boxes, in the February citrus crop forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service. The forecast was released Feb. 9. The entire orange reduction was in the to-be-harvested Valencia crop, which was reduced 4% to 26 million boxes. The forecast for non-Valencia …

Texas Canker Quarantine Expanded Again

Josh McGillCitrus, Diseases, Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) have established five new quarantine areas for citrus canker in Brazoria, Galveston and Harris counties, Texas. They also expanded two existing quarantine areas for citrus canker in Brazoria, Fort Bend and Harris Counties, Texas, to prevent the spread of the disease. …

Outlook for Global Citrus Production

Josh McGillGlobal Perspectives, Grapefruit, International, lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Orange Juice

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service recently released global 2021–22 production estimates for citrus categories and orange juice. Here are highlights from the report, titled Citrus: World Markets and Trade. ORANGESGlobal orange production for 2021–22 is estimated up 1.4 million tons from the previous year to 48.8 million tons. Favorable weather is leading to larger crops in Brazil, …

European

Tangerine Crop to Climb in Turkey

Ernie NeffInternational

Tangerine production in Turkey is forecast to increase 9% in 2021-22 to 1.75 million metric tons (MMT), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported recently. Production in 2020-21 was 1.6 MMT. High yields per tree and increasing orchard areas and bearing trees are also expected due to favorable weather conditions in the Mediterranean region. However, the yield …

Florida Citrus Show Takes Aim at HLB

Josh McGillFlorida, HLB Management, Research

Growers gathered in Fort Pierce last week for the Florida Citrus Show. More than 30 presentations and panel discussions were held during the two-day event. Topics covered included production, technology and markets. With the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicting the smallest citrus crop in more than 70 years, urgency to seek solutions to HLB was high on the agenda. …

European Union to Produce Less Lemons

Josh McGillInternational, lemons

European Union (EU) lemon production is forecast at 1.57 million metric tons (MMT) in 2021–22, a decrease of almost 9% from the previous season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported. The decrease is due to expected crop reductions for the EU’s main lemon producers, Spain and Italy, even though the area planted with lemons continued trending upward …

Water, Labor Boost Australia Crop

Ernie NeffInternational

Increased water availability and the expectation of more harvest labor, along with increased planting area, are reasons for the citrus crop forecast increase in Australia, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). FAS recently reported that the total planted area of navel and Valencia oranges in Australia has increased by 14% from 15,307 hectares (ha) in …

Lower Supply, Higher Demand and Processed Orange Prices

Josh McGillProcessing, Production

By Ariel Singerman According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), production of processed oranges in Florida will decline again this season (Figure 1). If such a forecast materializes, production will have declined by approximately 80% since HLB was first found in the state. The Florida Department of Citrus reports that, as a consequence of COVID-19, orange juice demand has …

OJ Production in Turkey to Rise

Ernie NeffInternational, Orange Juice

For 2021-22, orange juice (OJ) production in Turkey is forecast at 10,000 metric tons (MT) by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). That is higher than the 2020-21 OJ production total of 9,500 MT total, and is in correlation with high production and increasing domestic demands. DEVELOPING MARKETThe amount of oranges sent to processing plants increased to …

The State of the Citrus Industry in Japan

Ernie NeffInternational, Production

In a short summary about citrus in Japan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reports that the country’s mandarin production continues to decline amid labor shortages and reduced consumption. Shipping challenges and rising prices are projected to reduce the consumption of largely imported oranges and grapefruit. MANDARINSTangerine/mandarin production for 2021-22 is forecast at 924,000 metric tons (MT), …

Morocco: Big Jump in Citrus Production Expected

Ernie NeffInternational

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) expects total citrus production in Morocco to reach an estimated 2.55 million metric tons (MMT) in 2021-22. That’s an increase of 12% over 2020-21. Tangerine/mandarin production should increase by 13% over the previous year to 1.36 MMT. Domestic consumption is expected to be 860,000 metric tons (MT), an increase of 16%. …