citrus crop forecast

Citrus Pest Concerns California Industry

Daniel Cooper Citrus, HLB Management, Industry News Release

California recently passed a state law designed to combat the spread of an Asian citrus pest. All citrus loads transported through California now must be covered, no matter where it’s coming from or where it’s headed. Sponsored Content5 Facts About Fire Ants and How to Control ThemApril 30, 2024BRAZILIAN RESEARCH RESULTS IN A UNIQUE PRODUCT FOR HLB MANAGEMENTApril 1, 2024Protect …

Sweet Orange Scab

California Sweet Orange Scab Quarantine Area Expanded

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Diseases, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) is expanding the quarantine area in California for Elsinoë australis, the fungal causal agent of sweet orange scab (SOS). The expansion aligns with the state interior quarantine that the California Department of Agriculture (CDFA) implemented Oct. 1, 2023. SOS infection causes scab pustules that give fruit a corky …

annual meeting

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Georgia Citrus Association Annual Meeting Focused on HLB and More

Daniel Cooper Citrus Nursery Source, Events, Georgia

By Peter Chaires The Georgia Citrus Association held its seventh annual meeting on Feb. 27 at the University of Georgia (UGA) campus in Tifton. As usual, the event was well organized and well attended. The agenda included topics such as: It was a value-packed day. HLB RECOMMENDATIONS Roger Smith of TreeSource Citrus Nursery in Woodlake, California, traveled quite a distance …

citrus crop

Florida Citrus Crop Reduced

Daniel Cooper Crop Forecast, Florida

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Statistics Board released an update to the 2023–24 citrus crop forecast on May 10. FLORIDA ORANGES The Florida orange forecast is lowered 1 million boxes to 17.8 million boxes, representing a 5% decrease from the April forecast. The reduction is in the Valencia crop, which dropped 8% from 12 million boxes to 11 …

star ruby

California Star Ruby Season and Contest Announced

Daniel Cooper Grapefruit, Industry News Release

Sunkist Growers, Inc. recently announced that California Star Ruby grapefruit season has arrived. The company also announced a national display contest for retailers. “According to a new Sunkist-commissioned study, grapefruit buyers continue to be loyal to the variety, with 50% making repeat purchases multiple times per month,” said Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing at Sunkist Growers, …

field day

Finger Lime Field Day Draws Mostly Non-Citrus Crowd

Daniel Cooper Events, Limes

Only a few Florida commercial citrus growers were on hand for an April 24 finger lime field day at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Most of the more than 40 attendees did not own citrus groves, and about half were women — definitely not the standard crowd for a CREC event. Those in attendance had …

may

Sneak Peek: May 2024 Citrus Industry

Daniel Cooper HLB Management, hurricane, Sneak Peek

Inside the May issue of Citrus Industry magazine, you’ll find photos and coverage from the Florida Citrus Show. The annual grower-focused event was held in Fort Pierce on April 3. A high point of the day was the outdoor trade show of exhibitors serving an array of tailgate-style foods to attendees. Educational programs included a general session on current agricultural …

states

April Citrus Forecast: Florida Down, Other States Up

Daniel Cooper Crop Forecast

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS) issued a citrus forecast update on April 11. Florida production decreased while other states saw gains. FLORIDA The forecast for all Florida oranges dropped 5% from 19.8 million boxes in the March forecast to 18.8 million boxes in April. The entire 1 million box reduction was in the late-season …

valencia orange

Valencia Orange Forecast for California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Crop Forecast

California’s 2023–24 Valencia orange forecast, issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), is 16 million cartons. The forecast was based on the results of the 2023–24 Valencia Orange Objective Measurement Survey conducted from Jan. 2 to Feb. 27. CDFA reported that Southern and Central California have received significantly more rain than usual over the winter and spring, …

areas

HLB Quarantine Areas Expanded in California

Daniel Cooper California Corner, HLB Management, Regulation

Federal and state agriculture officials have expanded the areas quarantined for huanglongbing (HLB; also known as citrus greening) in California. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).  APHIS is adding portions of Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura counties …

citrus acreage

Florida Citrus Acreage Still Tops in United States

Daniel Cooper Florida, Land

As part of its recently published Florida Citrus Statistics 2022–23, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) reported Florida’s citrus acreage at 332,256 acres, down 11% from the prior season. The net loss of 43,046 acres was 11,000 acres more than was lost the previous season. New plantings at 6,203 acres were down from the previous season. All …

Florida citrus

Summary of the 2022–23 Florida Citrus Season

Daniel Cooper Export, Florida, Production

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) summarized Florida citrus production, value and exports last season in its new Florida Citrus Statistics 2022–23 report. PRODUCTION Florida’s total citrus production in 2022–23 was 18.1 million boxes, down 60% from the previous season’s 45.3 million boxes. Florida’s orange production, at 15.8 million boxes, was down 62% from the previous season. …

georgia citrus association

Georgia Citrus Association Outlines Industry Initiatives

Daniel Cooper Georgia

The Georgia citrus industry has experienced a significant increase in production since it started more than 10 years ago. The Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) is taking steps to ensure continued expansion. During the GCA’s recent annual meeting in Tifton, association president Lindy Savelle spoke with AgNet Media and outlined her organization’s priorities on the heels of another harvest season. A …

citrus-producing

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Implications of New Citrus-Producing States

Daniel Cooper Citrus Nursery Source

After Alabama was recently designated a “citrus-producing state,” there were questions on how this might impact the movement of citrus plant material and fruit. Citrus Nursery Source reached out to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Plant Industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-APHIS-PPQ) …

bill

Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Prompts California Bill

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Legislative, Pests

California Assembly member Eloise Reyes on Feb. 15 introduced a bill establishing a statewide goal to manage the introduction and spread of invasive species across California. Assembly Bill 2827 was introduced in response to the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) quarantine for the Redlands and Yucaipa areas of San Bernardino County due to impacts of the Oriental Fruit …

hlb

HLB Could End Georgia’s Citrus Industry

Daniel Cooper Georgia, HLB Management

One California citrus leader believes Georgia should respond more aggressively to huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening) for the sake of the industry’s future in the state. Roger Smith, fourth-generation citrus producer and executive of AC Foods, spoke during the recent Georgia Citrus Association meeting in Tifton. He discussed the disease that devastated citrus production in Florida and could …

fruit fly

California Fruit Fly Quarantines Expanded Again

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests, Regulation

Agriculture officials expanded the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis/OFF) quarantine in California’s San Bernardino and Riverside counties on Dec. 22, 2023. On Dec. 27, 2023 and Jan. 17, 2024, they expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata/Medfly) quarantine in Los Angeles County. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) …

farm bill

March Citrus Forecast Has Changes

Tacy Callies Crop Forecast

There were two changes to the Florida citrus forecast in the March 8 report issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS).   Florida’s grapefruit forecast dipped 8% in March compared to the February forecast, and its tangerine and tangelo forecast declined 9%. FLORIDA GRAPEFRUITThe entire decline in Florida grapefruit was in the red varieties, …

Georgia Citrus

Georgia Citrus Industry ‘Looking Forward’

Daniel Cooper Events, Georgia

The citrus industry has found footing in Georgia and needs continued support as this promising industry marches toward the future. Events like the Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting on Feb. 27 at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center provided information tailored to protecting growers’ investments. “One of the things we wanted to do differently this year is remind …

Identifying California’s Numerous Fruit Flies

Daniel Cooper California Corner, Pests

Sandipa Gautam, University of California area citrus integrated pest management advisor, recently wrote that California is experiencing an unusually high number of invasive fruit flies in the 2023–24 season. She noted that several areas in California are now under fruit fly quarantines. Excerpts from her article follow: Several species of invasive fruit flies that belong to the family Tephritidae are …