Review of the 2020–21 California Citrus Season

Josh McGill California Corner, Citrus

California Citrus Mutual (CCM) released its 2020–21 Final California Citrus Season Perspective report, which included the following summary conclusion: For the majority of the season, the fruit quality was excellent. The movement was steady, and shippers managed to hold prices fairly steady. The crop size, however, proved challenging as the season drew on. The 2020–21 season may go down in …

PIECES OF THE PAST: The Gate City of South Florida

Josh McGill Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In 1870, Gen. Henry Shelton Sanford purchased 23 square acres of land west of Mellonville, Florida, through the Sanford Grant from Spain. He planned a new city that he called The Gate City of South Florida, which he believed would become the transportation hub for Florida. In 1877, the city of Sanford was incorporated, and Mellonville …

Slow Progress for Port Problems

Josh McGill California Corner, Trade

California ports remain a critical logjam for products shipped in or out of the country. However, fresh fruit, including California citrus products, is managing to get to foreign markets. Shipping specialist Taylor Ball said “Fruit is getting shipped, but there is a lot of stress and worry involved. But demand remains high, and the prices are good.” Ball manages West …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Brothers Build Long-Lasting Business

Josh McGill Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Sixty years ago, the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame was created to honor the contributions of individuals for the betterment of the Florida citrus industry. The first person of 17 to be inducted that year (1962), albeit alphabetically, was Joshua Coffin Chase. His brother, Sydney, was inducted the following year. The class of 2022 will add …

European Union to Produce Less Lemons

Josh McGill International, 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 …

The State of the Citrus Industry in Japan

Ernie Neff International, 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), …

Port Problems Plague Producers

Tacy Callies California Corner, Shipping

The ongoing supply-chain crisis is a big headache to businesses and consumers alike, with no end in sight for the immediate future. Perishable products are particularly at risk, as even a week or two delay can affect product quality. The port delays that caused the supply-chain crisis began on the West Coast with labor shortages due to the pandemic. These …

Israel Citrus Exports Expected to Climb

Ernie Neff Export/Import

Exports of citrus from Israel in 2021-22 are forecast to reach 158,000 metric tons, up 16% from 2020-21, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported. However, FAS cautioned that exports could be lower “if higher-than-normal freight costs and limited shipping options continue.” Israel is seeking new export markets that will be able to absorb its produce with …

Florida Citrus Packers

Citrus Hall of Fame Names New Inductees

Ernie Neff Awards

George F. Hamner Jr., of Vero Beach, and the late A. Tillis Edwards Jr. and Edward A. Taylor, both of Lakeland, will be inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 2022. The inductions will take place during a Citrus Celebration Luncheon scheduled for Oct. 14 at Florida Southern College in Lakeland. A. TILLIS EDWARDS JR. Edwards was a …

citrus forecast

Florida Citrus Packers: Fix Grapefruit Import Action Now

Ernie Neff Export/Import, Grapefruit

Florida Citrus Packers recently called for a fix to a so-called “patch” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that allegedly creates unfair advantages for Mexico and other countries over domestic grapefruit producers. Citrus Industry previously reported that the agriculture commissioners for Florida and Texas wrote letters protesting the USDA action.   Florida Citrus Packers Executive Vice President Peter Chaires …

Updates From the Citrus Health Response Program

Ernie Neff Regulation

Callie Walker, chief of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Bureau of Pest Eradication and Control, recently provided an update on the Citrus Health Response Program. Topics she addressed include trip tickets, personnel and the citrus inspection database. Walker recommended reiterating to harvesters about the importance of trip tickets being filled out completely and accurately. Those with …

red sea

Top Grower Concerns: Input Costs and Availability

Tacy Callies Agriculture

Trade and labor used to top the concern list for Florida’s specialty crop growers. Not anymore. The biggest concerns now are input prices and availability, says Mike Joyner, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) president. Joyner reports that in talking to growers in the field, he has heard of fertilizer costs doubling – if growers can even get it. “The …

Soaring Costs for California Citrus Growers

Len Wilcox California Corner

A report issued by California Citrus Mutual (CCM) says that COVID-19 and now a devastating drought have resulted in staggering increases in costs for citrus growers, with only a minimal price correction in the market. Additionally, earlier this year, some growers in Ventura and San Diego counties reported losses due to a severe storm that uprooted trees. The storm also damaged …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Advice From 1887

Tacy Callies Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In researching the biographies for an upcoming book on the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame members, I came across a digitized book by Google online that was written in 1887. It’s titled “Florida Facts Both Bright and Blue: A Guide Book to Intending Settlers, Tourists, and Investors From a Northerner’s Standpoint; Plain Unvarnished Truth, Without ‘Taffy’; …

Citrus Exports Face Challenges

Ernie Neff Export

Canker protocols in the European Union (EU) and difficulties transporting fruit to Asia are among problems hampering Florida’s fresh citrus exports, Dan Richey told participants during the recent virtual Packinghouse Day. Richey, of Riverfront Packing Company, is heavily involved in international trade issues on behalf of Florida’s citrus industry. The canker protocols that the EU has imposed for accepting Florida …

Florida Citrus Packers

Grower: Last Season Had Ups, Downs

Ernie Neff Grapefruit, lemons

Vero Beach grower George Hamner reported having better production and size on his fresh market grapefruit and lemon crops in the 2020-21 season than in the prior year. He said grapefruit prices remained steady, similar to the prior year. “Lemons, however, were not as good as previous years because of the loss of food-service business … due to COVID-19,” he …

Mexican Lemon Sector Seeks Russian Market

Tacy Callies lemons, Mexico

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 …

EU Orange Production to Increase This Season

Ernie Neff International

European Union (EU) orange production is forecast at 6.5 million metric tons in 2020-21, a 5.2% increase over the previous season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported the EU forecast. Expected orange production by country is 3.4 million metric tons for Spain, 1.85 million metric tons for Italy, 915,000 metric tons for Greece, 315,000 metric tons …

Supreme Court Rules on Ag Property Right

Ernie Neff Legal

The U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that a nearly 50-year-old California regulation requiring agricultural businesses to allow union organizers to enter their property for a minimum number of hours and days each year is an unconstitutional taking without compensation. A California nursery and a shipping company had challenged the regulation as essentially creating an easement across their private property …

FFVA Creates Stuart Scholarship

Ernie Neff Scholarship

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) has created the Mike and Karen Stuart Scholarship. The scholarship encourages and supports college students who intend to pursue a career in the specialty crop industry. The specialty crop industry is an area of agriculture focused on vegetables, citrus, tropical fruit, berries, sod, sugar cane, tree crops and more. Applicants may be interested …