citrus crop forecast

California Navel Orange Forecast Up

Josh McGill California Corner, Production

The initial 2022–23 California navel orange forecast is for 76 million cartons, up 19% from the previous year. Of the total navel orange forecast, 73 million cartons are estimated to be in the Central Valley. Cara Cara variety navel orange production in the Central Valley is forecast at 8 million cartons. The Sept. 12 forecast was issued by the California …

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 Seeks Funding for CYVCV Disease

Josh McGill California Corner, Diseases

With citrus industry backing, California state legislators have requested $2.5 million in emergency state funds to help prevent the spread of citrus yellow vein clearing virus (CYVCV). The first finding of the new disease in the United Sates was recently made in Tulare, California. Casey Creamer, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) president and chief executive officer, said the statewide grower organization …

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 …

New Mexfly Quarantine for California

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests, Regulation

A portion of San Diego County in California has been placed under a quarantine for the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly). The quarantine follows the detection of six flies and one larva in and around the unincorporated area of Valley Center. The quarantine will affect any growers, wholesalers, nurseries and retailers of host fruit or host plants in the area. The …

California CRaFT Project Targets Psyllids

Josh McGill California Corner, Psyllids, Research

All commercial citrus producers in California are invited to apply for participation in the Citrus Research Board’s (CRB) California-focused Citrus Research and Field Trials (CA-CRaFT) project. The overarching goal of CA-CRaFT is to demonstrate the effects of additional mitigations on Asian citrus psyllid control within commercial citrus groves across the various citrus-growing regions in California. The project is supported by …

Fruit Fly Actions in California and Texas

Josh McGill Pests, Regulation

Federal and state officials in July established an Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in California and removed two Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine areas in Texas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) took the actions along with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), respectively. CALIFORNIA …

Coordinated Psyllid Treatment Recommended in California

Josh McGill California Corner, Pesticides, Psyllids

The San Joaquin Valley ACP (Asian citrus psyllid)/HLB Area-Wide Task Force in California is recommending growers participate in a coordinated treatment application in commercial citrus orchards. This recommendation is for orchards located east and south of Bakersfield and includes young, non-bearing trees. The recommendation comes as a result of higher than normal HLB-spreading ACP finds in traps earlier this summer. …

Growers Addressing California Red Scale

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests

Citrus growers are working to address California red scale populations, as second-generation crawlers have emerged in the San Joaquin Valley. University of California Cooperative Extension Area Citrus IPM Advisor Sandipa Gautam said a tool for tracking degree days in Kern, Tulare, Fresno and Madera counties can be a helpful resource for growers. Gautam explained that the hot and dry conditions …

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 …

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Removed

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Federal and state officials in late June removed Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) and Oriental fruit fly quarantines in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). MEDFLY The Medfly quarantine was removed in the Upland area of San Bernardino and Los …

California HLB Quarantine Areas Expanded

Josh McGill California Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

Federal and state officials in late June expanded the areas quarantined for huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, in California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) took the action in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). APHIS added portions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside …

psyllids

Second CLas-Positive Psyllid Sample Found in California Grove

Josh McGill California Corner, Pests, Psyllids

An Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) sample confirmed positive for Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) — the bacteria that causes huanglongbing (HLB) — was collected from a commercial citrus grove in the Pauma Valley area of California’s San Diego County. This confirmation marks the first CLas-positive ACP found in a commercial grove in San Diego County and only the second grove detection …

California’s Oldest Orange Approved for Production

Josh McGill California Corner, Varieties

The 1,000th tree okayed for growing by California’s Citrus Clonal Protection Program happens to be California’s oldest orange variety in the state. Dubbed the Mother Orange Tree, Bidwell’s Bar is a sweet Mediterranean orange brought to California from Mazatlán, Mexico, and planted in 1856. It was first planted near the Bidwell Bar Bridge near Oroville. The tree’s survival skills are some …

California Panel Issues HLB Update

Josh McGill California Corner, HLB Management, Pests

California’s commercial citrus groves remain free of HLB disease 14 years after Asian citrus psyllids (ACP) were first detected there. The state’s Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Program (CPDPP) described that as “no small feat” in its recently released 2020-21 annual report. “The past fiscal year presented its fair share of headwinds for citrus-growing operations,” the report stated. “From pandemic-induced …

ACP Found at Packinghouse and Juice Plant in California

Josh McGill California Corner, Psyllids

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently urged all citrus industry members to be extra vigilant in their Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) mitigation steps and adherence to regulatory practices. The request is in response to ACP detections in the Central Valley over the last few weeks. ACP is the vector of HLB disease.  Multiple ACP were detected on …

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 …

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 …

Coordinated HLB Treatment Critical in California

Josh McGill HLB Management

In an open letter to California citrus growers, Jim Gorden, chair of the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Committee, emphasized the importance of cooperation of all growers to keep huanglongbing (HLB) at bay. Growers need to work together to coordinate treatments for maximum effectiveness. “As the threat of HLB continues, industry members know that the best way to prevent HLB …

Big Dips in California Navel and Mandarin Forecasts

Len Wilcox California Corner, Crop Forecast

The California Citrus Mutual (CCM) Marketing Committee estimates that the total navel orange crop for the 2021-22 season will be down 20% from the previous season’s final utilized, or sold, production. The committee also estimates that the mandarin crop will be down as much as 45% from the 2020-2021 season. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s 2021-22 California …