An article about citrus waxing was recently published by Citrus Australia. The article, written by John Golding, a research horticulturist with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, is summarized here. Waxing citrus can help maintain quality and enhance the fruit’s appearance. However, using the wrong type of wax or applying an excessively thick layer can overly restrict gas …
Record Lemon Production in Spain
European Union (EU) lemon production is forecast at just over 1.6 million metric tons (MT) in 2023–24, up from the 1.5 million MT in 2022–23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently reported. The increase can be entirely attributed to an all-time-record production level in Spain, following the historically low lemon production there in 2022–23. Conversely, …
Louisiana HLB Quarantine Area Expanded
Federal agriculture officials, in cooperation with Louisiana agriculture officials, have established a federal quarantine area for huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, in all of Saint Charles Parish in Louisiana. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) took the action in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF). …
Starting in the Grove to Find New HLB Therapies
By Randall P. Niedz, Guilherme Locatelli, Nick Larson, Lorenzo Rossi, Ellen Cochrane and Michelle Heck Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) developed an idea to bypass lab assays and test molecules directly in the field for their ability to solve HLB. As part of a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant (number 2020-70029-33176), …
Soft Citrus Forecast Up in South Africa
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast that South Africa’s tangerine/mandarin production will total 740,000 metric tons in 2023–24, up 4% from the prior season. Young trees coming into production is a primary reason for the increase. PLANTING EXPANSION SLOWSSouth Africa has 27,500 hectares of tangerines/mandarins, also known as soft citrus. The rapid expansion in …
Expansion of Medfly and Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantines
Federal and California officials have expanded a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) quarantine in Los Angeles County and an Oriental fruit fly (OFF) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The expansion of both …
Emergency Funding Approved for Exotic Fruit Flies
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) is using $103.5 million in emergency funding to respond to the threats associated with growing outbreaks of exotic fruit flies. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack approved the transfer of the funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to APHIS to directly support emergency response efforts domestically and …
U.S. Tangerine Crop Recovers in 2022–23
Production of U.S. tangerines, mandarins, clementines and tangelos (which collectively make up the tangerine group) for the fresh market reached 971,000 tons in 2022–23, up 32% from the prior season. California grows 95% of the U.S. tangerine crop, with its production concentrated in the San Joaquin Valley. Shipment data indicates that 823 million pounds of tangerines were shipped during peak …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Gratitude for Growing Florida Citrus
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette December is always a favorite month for me. It’s a time to reflect on the trials and tribulations from the past year and a time to be thankful for the blessings in our lives that have brought us through difficulties. December brings anticipation for the upcoming year and what lies ahead. For citrus growers, December also …
Canada’s Plastic Proposal Concerns Florida Growers
The Florida produce industry, including citrus, recently voiced concerns regarding Canada’s proposal to reduce the use of fresh produce plastic packaging. Organizations represented in a Florida letter to the director of Canada’s Plastics Regulatory Affairs Division include Florida Citrus Packers, Florida Citrus Mutual, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA), Florida Blueberry Growers Association, Florida Strawberry Growers Association and Florida Farm …
Chilean Citrus Exports Soar
Chilean citrus exports in the 2023 season increased 48% over the previous season, and 16% over the average of the last three seasons, the Chilean Citrus Committee reported. A total of 395,889 tons have been exported, of which 15.5% were clementines, 43.7% mandarins, 23.7% oranges and 17.1% lemons. U.S. IS TOP MARKETThe United States was the main destination market, receiving …
California Fruit Fly Quarantines Continue to Expand
Federal and state officials have expanded Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly), Zeugodacus tau fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni; QFF) quarantines in California. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The Medfly and tau fruit fly quarantines …
Improved Monitoring of Citrus Maturity
A new approach developed primarily by Chinese researchers allows for more precise monitoring of citrus fruit development and optimal harvest timing. A key to improving citrus fruit quality and post-harvest processes is understanding citrus color change, a critical indicator of fruit maturity that is traditionally gauged by human judgment. Recent machine vision and neural network advancements offer more objective and …
Georgia Counties Eligible for Disaster Relief
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated numerous Georgia counties as eligible for disaster relief for a variety of reasons. DROUGHT USDA designated 20 Georgia counties as primary natural disaster areas due to recent drought conditions. This allows the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency loans to producers recovering from natural disasters. Producers in primary and contiguous counties have …
Oriental Fruit Fly Quarantine Expanded in California
The Oriental fruit fly (OFFor Bactrocera dorsalis) quarantine in San Bernardino and Riverside counties in California was expanded in October and November by federal and state agriculture authorities. The actions were taken on Oct. 12, Nov. 3, Nov. 9 and Nov. 17 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of …
Medfly Quarantine Expanded
Federal and state authorities in early November expanded the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles County, California. The action was 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) on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. …
Fundecitrus Repudiates Articles About Citrus Greening
Fundecitrus says it repudiates recent articles that claim productivity in Brazil’s São Paulo and Minas Gerais citrus belt will be reduced by 60% in the next five years due to citrus greening disease. Fundecitrus says Chilean and Spanish news portals published such reports on Nov. 14. According to Fundecitrus, this information is not valid, nor was it ever provided by …
PIECES OF THE PAST: Paying It Forward
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Florida citrus has long been part of holiday celebrations and eventually became more than just a recipe or side dish at meals. The citrus industry became a symbol of Florida’s agricultural prowess, and its importance to the state’s economy and culture was celebrated. The holidays bring out the best in people who are able to give …
TEMP Act Aims to Provide Freeze Insurance for Growers
A U.S. senator and Congress members from Florida have introduced legislation to direct the Risk Management Agency to research and develop a crop insurance policy to cover losses caused by cold exposure and freezes. Sen. Marco Rubio introduced the Temperature Endorsement for Multi-Peril Policies (TEMP Act). Representatives Scott Franklin, Darren Soto, Cory Mills and Greg Steube introduced companion legislation in …
Updates on Medfly and Psyllid Quarantines in California
Agriculture officials recently established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata or Medfly) quarantine and expanded an Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) quarantine, both in California. MEDFLYFederal and state agriculture officials on Oct. 18 established the Medfly quarantine in California’s Los Angeles County. The action was taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and …