Cold-Hardy Citrus Production and Challenges

Josh McGillCold Hardy

By Maegan Beatty Cold-hardy citrus is grown across a few thousand acres in more than 16 counties in North Florida and South Georgia. The satsuma mandarin is a cold-hardy species that has been grown throughout North Florida since the 1800s. The fruit is typically medium sized, a reddish orange color and can produce the highest quality in cooler winters and …

Senator Supports Georgia Citrus Industry

Josh McGillGeorgia

U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) recently visited with Georgia citrus growers and industry leaders to learn more about the growing commodity in the state. He came away impressed with how citrus has blossomed in popularity in a short timeframe. “I’m excited about Georgia citrus,” Ossoff said. “This is relatively new that we have a fast-growing citrus sector in Georgia. Already, …

Freeze Had Greatest Impact on Young Trees

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association, and other industry leaders continue to preach to growers the need to diversify their crop portfolios. The Christmas freeze event that ravaged production in the Southeast last December should not be a deterrent for farmers hoping to produce citrus other than satsuma mandarins. Yes, non-satsuma citrus trees were impacted more by the …

Legislation Passes for Georgia Citrus Commission

Josh McGillGeorgia, Legislative

Georgia citrus farmers and industry leaders scored a legislative victory on Monday when the state Senate overwhelmingly passed the proposal to start a Georgia Citrus Commission. The win for the industry will come when Gov. Brian Kemp signs it into law. The legislation states, “There shall be an Agricultural Commodity Commission for Citrus Fruits established on July 1, 2023.” The …

Cold Acclimation Helping Trees Rebound From Freeze

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Trees in the Sweet Valley Citrus region are more acclimated to cold temperatures than those in Central and South Florida. That is a reason that Bill Barber, Certified Crop Adviser and owner of Barber Ag Services, believes citrus trees in North Florida, South Georgia and South Alabama have rebounded well following the Christmas freeze event. “I first thought the worst. …

Exciting Time for Georgia Citrus Industry

Josh McGillGeorgia

The young, burgeoning Georgia citrus industry has its sights set on a bright future. Even in the midst of a challenging winter season with two major freeze events, the industry continues its upward trend, believes Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association. She discussed the state of the Georgia citrus industry during the association’s annual meeting on Feb. 28 …

advisory committee

Orange County Schools Seek Fresh Produce

Josh McGillFresh

Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in Florida are seeking growers to join the Farm to School Partner Program. The program provides students access to nutritious, high-quality, local fruits and vegetables throughout the school year. Set to begin August 2023, the program runs through July 2025. OCPS is looking for a variety of produce items. Desired citrus items are grapefruit, lemons, …

First Step Taken to Establish a Georgia Citrus Commission

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Legislative

The Georgia House of Representatives Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee passed legislation that would establish a Georgia Citrus Commission. It must now go to the House Rules Committee before being discussed in the Senate. A citrus commission would be a huge step for an industry that has already exploded in Georgia, said Lindy Savelle, president of the Georgia Citrus Association …

New President Has Plans for Cold Hardy Citrus Association

Josh McGillCold Hardy

Mark Clikas, who became president of the Cold Hardy Citrus Association (CHCA) in February, has a recovery focus and sales goal for the group. “My focus is to get the members of CHCA more involved in the organization to help the growers improve the citrus trees’ health after the major freeze event around Christmas 2022,” he said. “My goal is …

Sweet Valley Citrus Expansion Could Stall

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Trees in the Sweet Valley Citrus region have been in high demand in recent years. Plantings of satsuma mandarins and other citrus varieties have steadily risen the past few years in Georgia, Alabama and North Florida. That steady climb is expected to stall this year, however. Following the Christmas freeze event that rattled the industry in the Southeast in December …

Freeze’s Full Impact on Cold-Hardy Citrus Still Unknown

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Southeast citrus trees were undoubtedly impacted by multiple days of sub-freezing temperatures during Christmas week. An exact understanding of the impact will not be known for another couple of months, believes Jonathan Oliver, University of Georgia (UGA) assistant professor and small fruits pathologist. “The freeze was significant, but you never really know for sure until the plants start to flush …

Much Less Citrus Production in Turkey

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International

Fresh mandarin/tangerine, lemon and grapefruit production in Turkey is forecast to decline in 2022–23 compared to the prior year due to freezing temperatures in March 2022. Orange juice (OJ) production will likely be unchanged, while orange production will significantly decline. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS).   TANGERINES/MANDARINSOverall tangerine production is forecast …

Mandarin Production in Japan

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, Mandarins

Tangerine/mandarin production in Japan for 2022–23 is forecast at 921,000 metric tons (MT), down 3.5% compared to the prior year. Tangerines/mandarins account for a majority of Japan’s citrus production, and the Unshu is expected to be the leading mandarin variety at 722,000 MT. Non-Unshu varieties are forecast at 199,000 MT. The forecast was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture …

Florida

All About Peru’s Mandarin/Tangerine Industry

Josh McGillCrop Forecast, International, Mandarins

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast Peruvian mandarin/tangerine production at 550,000 metric tons (MT) in 2022–23, decreasing 4% from the previous year. Peruvian mandarin/tangerine production area is estimated at 23,000 hectares. Harvest season runs from March to November. The major mandarin/tangerine production areas are in the central semi-tropical coastal regions with good availability of …

A Look at South Carolina Citrus

Josh McGillCold Hardy, Research

Citrus has been making its way north in recent years. So far, growers in North Florida and Georgia have had success producing the crop, with only minor incursions of HLB, the disease that has been devastating in Florida’s traditional citrus production areas. The Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, held in Savannah earlier this month, included a citrus program for …

Grower Sees More Damage From Season’s Second Freeze

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Another freeze event last weekend could spell doom for some citrus trees produced in the cold-hardy citrus region. Kim Jones, president of the Cold Hardy Citrus Association, discussed the dire situation facing growers in the region. “I think we had some damage to some new growth that had come out from the last freeze. I can’t tell how much, but …

Sumo Citrus to Harvest Its Largest Crop

Josh McGillIndustry News Release

Sumo Citrus announced it will harvest its largest crop to date this season, running January to April, and double the amount of fruit produced last season. The fruit — derived from satsuma, orange and mandarin citrus varieties — will be distributed across North America.   Sumo Citrus was originally cultivated in Japan in the 1970s by a single grower. The fruit …

Taking Care of Trees After the Five-Night Freeze

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

“To some extent, every citrus variety has suffered from cold damage” due to the five-night freeze event that occurred in the cold-hardy citrus region Dec. 24–28. That report comes from Jake Price, Lowndes County Extension coordinator for University of Georgia Extension. “The site of our citrus research plots in Valdosta reached a low of 16 degrees, which is the lowest …

Preparing for Freezing Temperatures

Josh McGillAll In For Citrus Podcast, freeze

With temperatures plummeting over Christmas weekend, the latest episode of the All In For Citrus podcast is well timed. Chris Oswalt, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) citrus Extension agent covering Polk and Hillsborough counties, joined the podcast to discuss tips on preparing for freeze events. Oswalt encouraged growers to find a reliable source of …

freeze

Cold-Hardy Growers Face Tough Call With Possible Freeze

Josh McGillCold Hardy, freeze

Looming below-freezing temperatures in the cold-hardy citrus region have growers on high alert regarding their remaining crop. Forecasts call for temperatures to drop to the 20s in Tifton, Georgia, on Dec. 23, according to Weather.com. Growers will have to decide on how to handle their remaining fruit, said Kim Jones, citrus producer and packinghouse owner. Jones is president of the …