Fruit World on Certification, California’s Citrus Season and More

Josh McGill California Corner

Fresh fruit produce company Fruit World announced its recent Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) certification out of its Reedley, California facility. The company also reported that the California citrus season is late this year, and that Fruit World’s chief executive officer will participate on a panel discussing the upcoming Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) rule. According to Equitable Food Initiative’s website, it …

Citrus Thrips Reduce California Production

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests

California citrus growers faced significant citrus thrips challenges this season due to the unprecedented rainfall, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) reported. The unusual weather pattern led to uncontrollable conditions in the field.  Reports from the CCM Pest and Disease Task Force indicated that some growers have experienced exterior fruit scarring on as much as 80% of the fruit in individual blocks. …

Egyptian Citrus Imports Would Be ‘Calamity’ for California Growers

Josh McGill International, Trade

Egyptian citrus could be on the way to the U.S. market after a request was made to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A pest risk assessment has been drafted by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Jim Cranney, president of the California Citrus Quality Council (CCQC), said the assessment is for fresh oranges and tangerines, which would …

California and Arizona Citrus Projects Funded

Josh McGill California Corner, Research

The California and Arizona departments of agriculture received funding for four citrus-related projects from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for 2023. Nationwide, USDA AMS allocated $72.9 million in Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding. DROUGHT-TOLERANT VARIETIESThe California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) received $499,921 for designing drought-tolerant specialty crops using metabolic modeling. The University …

Managing Citrus Thrips in California

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests

In California’s Central Valley, citrus thrips are one of the most concerning pests for growers. Citrus thrips feed on young fruit, which results in scarring damage. “Those cuts are then downgraded in the packinghouse, costing our growers money, which is why managing thrips is so important,” said Sandipa Gautam, University of California Cooperative Extension area citrus integrated pest management advisor. …

Highlights From California’s Citrus Showcase

Josh McGill California Corner, Events

Many growers and industry partners attended the 2023 Citrus Showcase in early March, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) reported. The trade show was sold out with more than 100 industry partners exhibiting the latest in citrus industry technology, research and products. The event started with a panel discussion on the state of the citrus industry. Panel members included Al Bates, president …

Citrus Breeding Program Funded in California

Josh McGill Breeding, California Corner

New federal funding of $1 million will establish a citrus breeding program in California. The program will be at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) field station in Parlier. It will identify new citrus varieties that are best suited for changing climatic pressures such as drought, consumer taste preferences, and resistance to pests and diseases such …

California Yields Most Citrus per Acre

Josh McGill Production

California led the nation in boxes-per-acre yield for every citrus variety grown in 2021–22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS) recently reported. The yields per acre, along with on-tree prices and other information, is in the agency’s Citrus Fruits 2022 Summary. ORANGES California’s 140,000 acres of bearing orange acres produced 289 boxes per acre in the …

California’s Total Reported Citrus Acreage Slightly Up

Josh McGill Acreage, California Corner

California citrus acreage (bearing and nonbearing) planted in grapefruit, lemons, limes, mandarins and pummelos increased in 2022 when compared to 2020. However, the state’s orange acreage declined. That information was in the 2022 California Citrus Acreage Report by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Although orange …

California Growers Show Strong Support for Citrus Research Board

Josh McGill California Corner, Research

California citrus growers recently voted by a large margin to continue their support of the Citrus Research Board (CRB) in a state-mandated referendum. The recently concluded referendum, which must be held every five years, was conducted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). A majority of eligible citrus producers voted in the referendum. Their support was nearly unanimous …

April Citrus Forecast: Florida Down, California Up

Tacy Callies Crop Forecast

Florida’s Valencia orange crop forecast was cut by 13%, and the state’s grapefruit crop projection was trimmed by 8% in the April 8 forecast by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service. The Valencia crop projection was reduced by 3 million boxes, to 20 million boxes. Final fruit size is below the minimum, requiring 273 pieces of …

California Reports Two Citrus Pests

Ernie Neff Pests

The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program in California recently detected sweet orange scab (SOS) in new areas of the state. Additionally, an unofficial lime swallowtail butterfly (LSB) sample was identified from Los Angeles County, and several LSB sightings have been reported in Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo counties. SWEET ORANGE SCABSOS is a cosmetic fungal disease that impacts …

How to Donate Citrus to California Food Banks

Len Wilcox California Corner, COVID-19

In California as well as nationally, food banks are experiencing a significant increase in demand due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The California Association of Food Banks (CAFB) Farm to Family (F2F) program accepts donations of fresh produce year-round. CAFB will coordinate the distribution to 41 food banks across the state, which then supply local community food banks and other …

field hearings

Exploring the Economic Impact of California’s Citrus Industry

Daniel Cooper Citrus

The California citrus industry is valued at nearly $3.5 billion with over 3,000 growers farming 320,000 acres throughout the state. The size and scale of citrus production has both direct and indirect effects on California’s overall economy. “If you think about primary production, which citrus is, it requires that the citrus growers buy what’s called ‘intermediate inputs’ or inputs from …

california

The Complex Path for New Citrus in California

Tacy Callies California Corner, Varieties

By Len Wilcox Continuous research and development of new varieties is an important function of the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Efforts have led to hundreds of profitable varieties now being grown in California. According to a report in California Agriculture, University of California’s (UC) research journal, one of those varieties has been a source of more than $14 million …

California Industry Updates Presented at Spring Citrus Meeting

Daniel Cooper Citrus Greening, Diseases

By Brian German The Spring Citrus Meeting held last week in Tulare County touched on several major issues growers are concerned with, and included presentations on best practices for managing citrus trees. The day began with important information related to Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the disease it causes, huanglongbing (HLB), which has been growing at an alarming rate in …

Study Shows Economic Impact of Citrus in California

Len Wilcox California Corner

The total economic impact of California’s citrus industry is $7.117 billion according to a new study commissioned by the Citrus Research Board (CRB). “In updating our economic analysis, we selected a well-known expert, Bruce Babcock, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside, to conduct the research. His findings quantified the significant impact …

University of California Scientists Identify New Citrus Disease

Len Wilcox California Corner

A new disease of citrus has been found in the Central Valley of California. According to a report published in the University of California’s (UC) Topics in Subtropics newsletter, several growers and nurserymen in various orchards in the Central Valley first noticed the disease in 2013. Symptoms include leaf chlorosis, crown thinning, gumming, dieback, and in severe cases, death of …

Florida orange

Florida Specialty Citrus Up; California Valencias Down

Daniel Cooper Crop Forecast

Mark Hudson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA/NASS), reported the March forecast for Florida oranges is unchanged from last month at 45 million boxes. Non-Valencias are at 19 million boxes and Valencias are at 26 million boxes. The Row Count Survey, conducted on Feb. 26-27, showed 99 percent of the early-midseason rows and 96 percent of …

Capitol building

California to Increase Citrus Grower Fees

Len Wilcox Legislative

The California State Assembly approved a bill that will allow the citrus industry to increase fees to provide funds for activities to protect residential and commercial citrus trees from the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and the deadly huanglongbing (HLB) plant disease it can carry. SB 243 by Senator Galgiani (Stockton) allows for an additional $9.6 million in grower assessments to …