Florida Orange, Grapefruit Forecast Trimmed

Ernie NeffForecast

The forecast for Florida orange and grapefruit production were each trimmed by approximately 2 percent on Dec. 10. Forecasts for all other citrus varieties in all citrus-producing states were unchanged from the initial October report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The Florida all-orange forecast is now for 56 million boxes, down from 57 million …

PIECES OF THE PAST: When Canned Grapefruit Came on the Scene

Tacy CalliesPieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette October has always signaled the first crop forecast, heralding the start of a new Florida citrus season. However, picking often begins in September for some eager to be the first out of the blocks. But, in the early days, with so much of the crop being sold fresh, it was imperative not to ruin the rest …

World Non-Orange Citrus Production to Drop

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast

Global production of non-orange citrus — tangerines/mandarins, grapefruit, lemons and limes — in 2019-20 is estimated to be lower than the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. TANGERINES/MANDARINSGlobal production is estimated down 400,000 tons for 2019-20 to 31.6 million with declines in the European Union (EU), Morocco, Turkey and the United States more than …

South Korea

Spain Pulls Down Europe’s Grapefruit Forecast

Ernie NeffCrop Forecast, Grapefruit

A projected decline in Spain’s grapefruit crop in 2019-20 will lead to an 11 percent decline in the all-European Union (EU) grapefruit forecast compared to last season. EU total production is pegged at 96,720 metric tons (MT). Other EU grapefruit-producing countries will increase or maintain production. That’s according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural …

Juice Imports, Fruit Prices and Production Costs

Ernie NeffEconomics

In a recent presentation titled “Juice Imports, Fruit Prices and Cost of Production,” Ariel Singerman provided the price and yield required to break even growing oranges in Southwest Florida. “Average cultural cost of $1,847 requires prices for E&M (early and mid) and Valencias to be $2.31 and $2.01 per pound solids, respectively, just to break even,” the University of Florida …

Summer Tree Care Practices to Improve Fruit Quality and Yield

Tacy CalliesCitrus, Production

By Fernando Alferez and Tripti Vashisth As summer approaches and citrus trees bear developing fruit, growers can engage in several practices to improve fruit quality and yield. As temperatures rise and daylength increases, conditions are conducive for enhanced photosynthesis and accumulation of soluble sugars in the fruit. It is important to note that, in general, the temperature is negatively correlated …

florida citrus

Florida Sees Dips in Orange and Grapefruit Forecasts

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

The 2019–20 Florida all-orange forecast released on April 9 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is 70 million boxes, down 1 million boxes from the March forecast. This represents a 1 percent decrease in the expected orange crop size. Non-Valencia Oranges The forecast for Florida non-Valencia orange production is unchanged at 30 million boxes. The non-Valencia harvest is about over …

Effect of Planting Density and Enhanced Nutrition on Grapefruit

Tacy CalliesNutrition

By Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi, Dinesh Phuyal, Davie Kadyampakeni and Kelly Morgan The Indian River District is the world’s premier grapefruit production region due to a warm, ocean-facing humid climate and Flatwoods soils. The geographical location leads to the production of fruit with thin rinds and exceptional juice and color that has been a high-value export delicacy in Europe and Asia. …

florida

Florida Grapefruit Production Up

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

The 2019–20 Florida citrus crop forecast released on Jan. 10 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held steady for oranges, tangerines and tangelos while grapefruit saw gains. Oranges The Florida orange forecast is 74 million boxes, unchanged from the December forecast. If realized, this will be 3 percent more than last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 32 …

CUPS: Managing Small Fruit Size

Ernie NeffCUPS

Fresh fruit has generally grown well in a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) facility at the Citrus Research and Education Center, but there has been an issue with small fruit size. Laura Waldo, a senior biological scientist who works with lead CUPS researcher Arnold Schumann, discusses the problem and likely solutions.  Waldo says causes of the smaller fruit size have …

A Closer Look at CUPS-Grown Grapefruit

Tacy CalliesCUPS, Grapefruit

By Arnold Schumann, Ariel Singerman and Yu Wang Grapefruit production in Florida has been drastically reduced by huanglongbing (HLB) disease, from 40.9 million boxes in 2003–04 to 4.5 million boxes in 2018–19, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grapefruit varieties are particularly vulnerable to HLB due to cumulative losses from stunted tree growth, low fruit yield, high-percentage fruit drop, …

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UF/IFAS Helps Assess, Manage New Fruit Bug

Daniel CooperCitrus, Industry News Release, invasive, Pests, Research, Top

Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are already trying to help growers figure out how to effectively manage the problems created by an invasive pest  – confirmed last week in Highlands County — that could further erode citrus production at a time when growers are just beginning to turn the corner on managing …

Fruit Markets: Then and Now

Tacy CalliesGlobal Perspectives

By Marcos Fava Neves In the last three decades, world fruit production went from 338 to 865 million tons. CHANGES IN THE CITRUS SECTORCitrus represents 17 percent of fruit production but is growing at a slower rate (140 percent) than the 155 percent growth rate seen in the total category of all fruits. Within the citrus sector, oranges represented 67 …

grapefruit

Grapefruit Grown Under Protective Screens Maximizes Fruit Yield

Daniel CooperCitrus Greening, CUPS, Grapefruit, Industry News Release, Research

Growers of one of Florida’s signature citrus crops may see more production and possibly less of the deadly citrus greening disease. Researchers have worked for four years growing grapefruit under protective screens on a 1-acre experimental plot at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and they’re seeing encouraging results. UF/IFAS scientists and a few commercial …

grapefruit

Grapefruit, Tangerines and Tangelos See Small Changes in Crop Forecast

Daniel CooperCitrus, Crop Forecast

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the January and February citrus crop forecasts on Feb. 8. January’s forecast had been delayed due to the government shutdown. JANUARYJanuary’s forecast showed a decrease in Florida grapefruit, tangelo and tangerine production compared to December. Grapefruit fell from 6.4 million boxes to 6.2 million boxes. Tangerines and tangelos dropped from 1.2 million boxes to …

fruit

Fruit Set Good, but ‘We’ve Got a Long Way to Go’

Ernie Nefffruit

Hardee County citrus grower John Roy Gough says he’s pleased with his fruit set so far this spring, “if I can just hold them. That’s the key to it, is holding them (fruit) on there … Of course you can’t count your chickens until they hatch, and we’ve got a long way to go.” Gough says he has experienced very …

HLB

Grower Reports Good Bloom and Fruit Set

Ernie Neffcrop

David Howard with Graves Brothers Company, headquartered in Vero Beach, says groves had a good bloom and good fruit set this year. “It looks so far like we’ve been blessed with a nice spring fruit set,” Howard says. “We put a lot of effort into recovery after the storm (Hurricane Irma, in September). We had standing water in all of …

Steep Florida Grapefruit Production Declines

Abbey TaylorGrapefruit

Most growers and professionals in the citrus industry are aware that Florida’s orange crop has declined due to diseases like citrus greening and natural disasters like Hurricane Irma. However, Florida’s grapefruit crop has been suffering tremendously as well, even more severely than Florida oranges. The Florida orange crop has dropped by 35 percent this year, while Florida grapefruit has dropped …

Florida orange

Florida Citrus Forecast: Oranges Hold Steady, Grapefruit Tumbles

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast

The 2017-2018 Florida all-orange forecast released on April 10 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is 45 million boxes, unchanged from the March forecast. The total includes 19 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges and 26 million boxes of Valencia oranges. The Row Count survey, conducted March 27-28, showed 99 percent of the early-midseason rows …

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Fresh Citrus Shipments Continue to Drop; CAC Elections Coming

Ernie NeffFresh

Fresh citrus shipments from Florida so far in the 2017–18 citrus season have fallen 37 percent below the previous season, reports Citrus Administrative Committee (CAC) Manager Duke Chadwell. “And that percentage has held true from the beginning of the season up until now,” he says. “However, I do anticipate as we move forward that that percentage is going to grow. …