South African Grapefruit Growth Continues

Josh McGillGrapefruit, International

The growth in South African grapefruit plantings is expected to continue in 2021–22, increasing by 3% to 9,200 hectares, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) stated in a recent report. The area planted to grapefruit grew by 25% over the past seven years. Limpopo province is the leading growing region for grapefruit in the country, accounting for …

International Partnership Strengthens HLB Research

Josh McGillInternational, Research

Brazil’s Fundecitrus reported that the exchange of international researchers and technicians working on the PRE-HLB (Preventing HLB Epidemics for Ensuring Citrus Survival in Europe) project strengthens research on the disease. In recent months, Fundecitrus received a researcher from the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and sent a researcher to the University of Valencia (Spain). Counting on the expertise of more than …

Mandarin Crop Losing Ground in Europe

Josh McGillInternational, Mandarins, Trade

In 2021–22, European Union (EU) mandarin production is forecast to decline 7.5% from the previous year to 2.9 million metric tons (MMT), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. EU mandarin production may also be almost 5.5% lower than the 10-year average production of 3.1 MMT. The shortage in EU mandarin production is mainly the result of …

Lemon Production in Turkey to Skyrocket

Ernie NeffExport/Import, International

Lemon production in Turkey is expected to increase 27% to 1.4 million metric tons (MT) in 2021-22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported recently. Last season, lemon production reached 1.1 million MT. Producers are increasing orchard areas due to lemon’s profitability compared to other citrus fruits. The main problems reported by lemon producers in Turkey are diseases …

Orange Juice in Europe: Production, Consumption and Trade

Josh McGillExport/Import, International, Orange Juice

European Union (EU) orange juice (OJ) production is forecast at 70,390 metric tons (MT) in 2021–22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported. That’s a drop of almost 10% compared to the previous period due to the expected decline in EU orange supply. Spain is the major orange processor in the EU, followed by Italy. Approximately 20% of …

Outlook for Global Citrus Production

Josh McGillGlobal Perspectives, Grapefruit, International, lemons, Limes, Mandarins, Orange Juice

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service recently released global 2021–22 production estimates for citrus categories and orange juice. Here are highlights from the report, titled Citrus: World Markets and Trade. ORANGESGlobal orange production for 2021–22 is estimated up 1.4 million tons from the previous year to 48.8 million tons. Favorable weather is leading to larger crops in Brazil, …

Morocco: Big Jump in Citrus Production Expected

Ernie NeffInternational

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) expects total citrus production in Morocco to reach an estimated 2.55 million metric tons (MMT) in 2021-22. That’s an increase of 12% over 2020-21. Tangerine/mandarin production should increase by 13% over the previous year to 1.36 MMT. Domestic consumption is expected to be 860,000 metric tons (MT), an increase of 16%. …

Orange Crop to Decline in Europe

Josh McGillInternational, Production

European Union (EU) orange production is forecast at 6.1 million metric tons (MMT) for 2021–22 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. That’s 6% lower than the previous season and 3.3% lower than the EU’s 10-year average of 6.3 MMT. PRODUCTIONSpain and Italy represent 80% of the EU’s total production of oranges. The remaining 20% is distributed among …

EU Ban of Pesticides Could Impact U.S. Growers

Josh McGillPesticides

By Frank Giles Mike Aerts, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association’s vice president of science and regulatory affairs, recently shared an update from the European Union (EU) that could impact maximum residue limits (MRLs) allowed in the 27-member-country body. MRLs govern the amount of allowable pesticide residue on a food product in order to enter a country. Because the EU has …

Updated Brazilian OJ Projection

Ernie NeffBrazil, Orange Juice

The total Brazilian frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) 65 Brix equivalent production for 2021-22 is projected at 1.123 million metric tons (MMT). That projection, which is an increase of 16% compared to orange juice production for 2020-21, was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).   The São Paulo industry is expected to process 265 million …

Speeding Up Xf Bacteria Detection

Ernie NeffDiseases

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) bacterium causes incurable diseases that make plants wither and possibly die, scorching and browning leaves and reducing the size of fruit in a wide variety of important crops. Citrus variegated chlorosis is among the diseases that Xf causes. Pablo J. Zarco-Tejada and Tomas Poblete with the University of Melbourne describe the Xf bacterium as “the number one …

Updates From the Citrus Health Response Program

Ernie NeffRegulation

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 …

SuperSour

Research on Rootstocks: More Than HLB

Ernie NeffRootstocks

Plant breeders Fred Gmitter and Jude Grosser report on their efforts to develop rootstocks that perform well in Florida from several perspectives. In addition to seeking tolerance to HLB, they are working on rootstocks that might control tree size, deal with other diseases and pests and perform in a range of soils. Gmitter and Grosser are University of Florida Institute …

Stop HLB Vector, Spanish Group Says

Ernie NeffHLB Management

The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) recently stated it is essential that the Spanish government and the European Union (EU) prevent the advance of Trioza erytreae, vector of the citrus disease HLB. The association issued that statement after learning that the insect has reached the Algarve (southern Portugal). The vector’s advance from the north and center of the Portuguese country …

Citrus Exports Face Challenges

Ernie NeffExport

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 …

production

World Production of Non-Orange Citrus

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently reported on expected world production of tangerines/mandarins, grapefruit and lemons/limes in the 2020-21 marketing year. TANGERINES/MANDARINSGlobal output for 2020-21 is estimated to rise 4% to a record 33.3 million tons with growth expected in nearly every market. China’s production is projected to rise 1 million tons to a record 23 …

EU Lemon, Grapefruit Production Increases

Ernie NeffGrapefruit, International, lemons

The European Union (EU) expects production increases for lemon and grapefruit in 2020-21 compared to the previous season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service reported. LEMONSLemon production is forecast to increase by almost 11.7% to 1.64 million metric tons. Spain will have the lion’s share of production at 1.06 million metric tons, followed by Italy at 491,000 metric …

World Orange and OJ Production to Rise

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Worldwide orange and orange juice (OJ) production are projected to climb in the 2020-21 market year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported recently. ORANGESGlobal orange output for 2020-21 is estimated up 2.5 million tons from the previous year to 48.6 million as favorable weather leads to a larger crop in Brazil (up 7%) and Mexico (up …

Mexican Lemon Sector Seeks Russian Market

Tacy Callieslemons, 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 …

Mandarin Production Rises Sharply in EU

Ernie NeffInternational

Mandarin production in the European Union (EU) in 2020-21 is forecast to rise 21% from the previous year, to 3.4 million metric tons. The forecast, reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, is almost 10% higher than the union’s 9-year average of 3.1 million metric tons. The higher production this season is mainly the result of expected …