By Marcos Fava Neves The third Fundecitrus estimate of the season for the Brazilian orange crop on Feb. 11 was just shy of 400 million boxes. It is 3.13 percent larger than the last estimate in December, and 9 percent larger than the initial estimate published in May. Fruits are bigger and heavier, reaching 247 fruits per box. This is …
OJ May Soon Come from HLB-Tolerant Fruit
Some people like to wake up and drink a glass of fresh Florida orange juice. With the greening disease ravaging Florida’s citrus industry, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers want to make orange juice from disease-tolerant fruit. Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening as it’s commonly called, has destroyed 80 percent of citrus in Florida, a …
CRDF Update on NuPsyllid Project and More
Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Chief Operations Officer Harold Browning reports on the conclusion of the five-year NuPsyllid project aimed at developing a psyllid that won’t spread HLB. “The NuPsyllid project was a project funded through the USDA competitive grant program and was established in 2012 to develop a psyllid that would not be capable of transmitting the (HLB-causing) …
Ask These Questions When Conducting an Agricultural Water Assessment
By Michelle Danyluk, William “Billy” Mitchell, Stephanie Brown, Emmy Collins, Keith R. Schneider and Taylor O’Bannon Most citrus growers have been meeting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) requirements since 2016. However, changes to this rule in May of 2024 now require growers to have an agricultural water assessment (AgWa) for production (i.e., pre-harvest) water. A …
Growth Expected for South African Citrus Exports
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) on April 1 released its citrus export estimates for 2026, which point to continued growth. The report includes estimates of all varieties, excluding late mandarins (which make up the bulk of the mandarin crop). Taking the historic trajectory of late mandarins into account, total citrus exports are expected to increase by approximately …
PIECES OF THE PAST: A Demonstrative Moment in Time
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette In the early 1910s, when the promise of drained land and new opportunity was drawing settlers into the interior of what would become Indian River County, one place stood at the center of the excitement: the Indian River Farms Company Demonstration Farm. Set on a 10-acre plot 2 miles west of town, it became both a …
Edible Ink Made From Citrus to Warn of Food Deterioration
A Spanish project is working on the extraction and recovery of orange and mandarin pectin to develop edible inks capable of being printed directly on food. The project also includes the development of a sensor that marks the deterioration of food. Pectin is a soluble natural fiber with gelling properties. The research team focuses on formulating and obtaining inks with …
Florida Citrus Show: A Day of Education and Enjoyment
The Florida Citrus Show marked another successful event in March in Fort Pierce. The show provided attendees with a fun, informative day to learn about citrus and specialty crops while engaging with exhibitors during the tailgate-style trade show. CRAFT UPDATE Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) programs have been very popular with growers and have incentivized new citrus plantings across …
Integrated Nutrient Management for Sustainable Citrus Production
By Davie Kadyampakeni, Jonas Pereira de Souza Junior, Edilaine Istéfani Franklin Traspadini, Shankar Shrestha and Alisheikh Atta Integrated nutrient management is critical for improved and sustainable citrus production. Typical practices include split fertilization applications, the use of leguminous cover crops and the incorporation of soil amendments. This article discusses the importance of using novel blends, including macronutrients and micronutrients, as …
Türkiye Mandarin, Lemon and Grapefruit Forecasts
Forecasts for 2025–26 tangerine, lemon/lime and grapefruit production and trade in Türkiye were included in a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report. TANGERINES/MANDARINS UP Turkish tangerine/mandarin production is forecast to increase 10% to around 2.19 million metric tons (MMT). The Satsuma variety is the most widely produced in Türkiye and is crucial for both domestic …
Sneak Peek: April 2026 Citrus Industry
The Citrus Industry section of the April 2026 issue of Specialty Crop Grower highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen Florida’s citrus sector amid challenges. Articles this month showcase education, nutrient management and variety development. A recap of the Florida Citrus Show details a successful March event in Fort Pierce that combined education with a lively tailgate-style trade show. Growers Daniel Hunt, …
Forecasts for European Union Citrus Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has issued 2025–26 production and trade forecasts for European Union (EU) citrus. TANGERINES/MANDARINS EU tangerine and mandarin production in 2025–26 is estimated at 2.794 million metric tons (MMT), down from the 2.97 MMT bumper crop in the previous season. After years of constant contraction, EU’s tangerine and mandarin area has …
Update on Florida Citrus Marketing Efforts
The Florida Citrus Commission’s (FCC) Global Marketing Committee on March 18 reported on several Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) marketing efforts. FLORIDA ORANGE JUICE The committee reported that attributed Florida orange juice (OJ) sales have reached $36.15 million to date with 2.73 million units sold, exceeding the attributed sales goal of $35 million. To further advance the True Original campaign, …
South African Grapefruit, Mandarin and Lemon Forecasts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) recently issued its 2025–26 forecasts for South African grapefruit, tangerines/mandarins and lemons. GRAPEFRUIT South African grapefruit production is forecast to increase by 1% to 430,000 metric tons (MT). The area planted with grapefruit is 8,150 hectares. This production area declined from 2020–21 to 2022–23 and appears to have stabilized since …
Brazilian Citrus Contributes to Climate Change Mitigation
Brazilian citrus farming plays a strategic role in environmental sustainability, a recent article from Fundecitrus reported. The citrus industry demonstrates significant potential to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases, either through carbon sequestration or the adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices. Between 2022 and 2024, Embrapa Territorial, in partnership with Fundecitrus, conducted a project to map and quantify carbon …
Citrus Traits To Be Studied in Australia
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Professor Peter Prentis will lead a $2.2 million study to investigate the genetic basis of several citrus traits. This includes disease resistance and plant growth habits. QUT researchers will work with members of the CRC Future Food Systems and Superior Production PTY LTD. The project is titled “Elucidating the genetic basis of disease, dwarfing, seedlessness …
Australian Citrus Continues to Climb
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has forecast year-over-year production increases for Australian oranges, orange juice and mandarins in 2025–26. ORANGES Orange production in Australia is projected to reach 590,000 metric tons (MT) in 2025–26, up from 580,000 MT the prior year. Of the total forecast, 365,000 MT is expected to come from navel varieties and …
Organic Sales, Including Citrus, on the Rise
U.S. sales of certified organic products accelerated in 2025, reaching $76.6 billion with an annual growth rate of 6.8%, according to the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) 2026 Organic Market Report. In 2025, organic products grew at a fast pace, double that of the comparable marketplace growth of 3.4%. Organic citrus had an especially strong year, with sales climbing 18.1%. “For …
CUPS Trees Survive Freeze Nearly Unscathed
During a Feb. 26 Highlands County ag tour hosted by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, participants had the opportunity to go inside a citrus under protective screen (CUPS) pod. Bill Bohde, director of agronomy for Dundee Citrus Growers Association, led the tour group through a 10-acre CUPS pod at Fort Meade in neighboring Polk County. …
Costa Rican Orange Production Forecast
After an 11% fall in Costa Rican orange production in 2024–25, production is forecast to increase 10% in 2025–26 to 220,000 metric tons (MT). This projection is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS). PRODUCERS AND PROCESSORS Two companies, TicoFrut and Del Oro, control most of the production and practically all processing of oranges in Costa …





























