Australia’s Hort Innovation recently provided an update on the citrus partnership between Japan and Australia. Australia is the No. 1 citrus import partner for Japan, holding a 27% market share. This figure has grown steadily since 2021 (20%). The partnership between Australia and Japan is highly complementary and counter-seasonal, allowing both countries to support each other’s markets effectively. Japan is …
PIECES OF THE PAST: A Way of Life
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette The citrus industry drew people to Florida with dreams of wealth and retirement, which eventually brought with it substantial economic development from the hardy pioneers who chose to make Florida their home. Their livelihood was widely marketed by not only the citrus packinghouses who sold their fruit, but also by their respective chambers of commerce and …
CUPS Benefits Go Beyond Psyllid Exclusion
Citrus under protective screen (CUPS) offers benefits that go beyond its initial purpose of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) exclusion. Steven Callaham of Dundee Citrus Growers Association discussed the advantages and sustainability of this form of citrus production. Rapid tree growth is a major benefit, according to Callaham. “It has been documented that trees inside of CUPS grow about 2.5 times …
Florida Citrus Commission Updated on Marketing Campaigns
Representatives of the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) and its marketing agency, Padilla, reported on various marketing campaigns at the March 26 meeting of the Florida Citrus Commission. Tina Charpentier of Padilla said the FDOC is on track to meet or exceed its attributed sales goal of $25 million for the year, achieving 65% of that level as of March …
Juice Market Brings Questions for Georgia Citrus Growers
Expansion into the juice market may unlock a profitable marketing opportunity for Georgia citrus growers. But questions remain before growers can start planning this new course of action, says Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association. “Hamlins and perhaps some early-season Valencias would work here in Georgia,” Savelle said. One question Georgia growers have about entering the juice …
Forecast for Japanese Citrus
Production and trade of Japanese citrus was detailed in a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report. GRAPEFRUIT Japan produces negligible amounts of grapefruit. However, it produces several domestic and unique pomelo or grapefruit-like citrus varieties such as buntan, a type of pomelo. These grapefruit-like varieties are popular among elderly consumers in Japan. The harvested area …
Jennifer Schaal: From Accountant to Ag Leader
Early in her career, Jennifer Schaal worked in public accounting and found herself wanting to make a deeper impact. “For a long time, I felt the desire to help my clients by diving deeper into their organizations’ financials and procedures, but public accounting standards don’t allow for that,” Schaal said. That desire ultimately led her to transition to the citrus …
Bill to Improve Access to Disaster Assistance Reintroduced
U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack from Florida and colleagues recently reintroduced the bipartisan Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act. The act is aimed at removing barriers to agriculture disaster assistance for producers. The bill would provide farmers, ranchers and other agriculture producers with improved access to federal disaster assistance following natural disasters. Reps. Jimmy Panetta and Zoe Lofgren, both of California, …
Mexico’s Citrus Crops to Increase
Mexico’s production of lemons/limes and grapefruit are forecast in a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) report to increase in 2024–25 compared to the prior year. LEMONS/LIMES The lemon/lime production forecast for 2024–25 is 3.5 million metric tons (MMT), an 8% increase from the previous year. The forecast for lemon/lime planted area in 2024–25 is 223,500 hectares, up …
10-Year Forecast for U.S. Citrus Production
Total U.S. citrus production levels are projected to continue their long-term decline over the next several years before stabilizing through 2034, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It attributed that expected trend to declining orange and grapefruit production alongside increasing production of lemons and tangerines. The projections for all U.S. commodities are in USDA Agricultural Projections to 2034, …
European Union Citrus Forecasts Issued
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) recently provided a 2024–25 forecast for European Union (EU) citrus crops. TANGERINE/MANDARIN EU tangerine and mandarin production in 2024–25 is estimated at 2.8 million metric tons (MMT), down from the 2.9 MMT bumper crop in the previous season. Production is projected to be down in Spain, the EU’s largest mandarin and …
Cold-Hardy Growers Eyeing Juice Market
A low volume of fruit in the cold-hardy citrus region is being produced for the juice market. With the current market prices for juiced citrus, that number could increase in the near future. This topic was discussed during the recent Georgia Citrus Association annual meeting in Tifton. “With the prices today, there is a future for it,” said grower Kim …
Stuart Scholarship Applications Due April 14
To instill passion for the agriculture industry, engage with a new generation of young leaders and foster a workforce dedicated to the future of Florida agriculture, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) created the Mike and Karen Stuart Scholarship. The scholarship is in recognition of the devotion and many years of service to the specialty crop industry that the Stuarts …
Another Push to Prohibit Chinese Citrus Imports
U.S. Reps. Greg Steube and Daniel Webster of Florida have reintroduced legislation to prohibit the importation of fresh citrus fruit from the People’s Republic of China. Steube introduced the U.S. Citrus Protection Act approximately five years ago, in 2020. Learn more about that introduction of the legislation here. The act was introduced in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture …
Options for Planting Profitable Citrus Varieties
By Maegan Beatty On Feb. 18, Jude Grosser and Fred Gmitter hosted an online informational session on new citrus varieties and how to plant a profitable crop in the future. Both Grosser and Gmitter are part of the citrus improvement team at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center. Their main …
Survey Shows Popular Scions and Rootstocks
The Florida Citrus State of the Industry Survey seeks input from growers on key issues affecting their groves. The survey has been conducted for many years, has tracked the trajectory of HLB and reported on production practices. While not a scientific survey, it has reflected general trends over the years. Last month, we published results on trunk-injection therapy and the …
Positive Gains for Mexican Orange and OJ Production
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) recently forecast that Mexican orange and orange juice (OJ) production will both increase slightly in 2024–25. ORANGES Orange production is forecast at 5.05 million metric tons (MMT), 2% more than the previous season. Mexico ranks fourth worldwide in the production of oranges with 10% of total production. It trails only Brazil, …
Lemon Production in Argentina
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) forecasts Argentine lemon production to decline to 1.38 million metric tons (MMT) in 2024–25. The prior year’s production was 1.45 MMT. The decline is primarily due to early and persistent rainfall during the blooming season, which is expected to negatively affect fruit quality. Additionally, many producers are shifting their focus …
Southern Hemisphere Citrus Exports Decline
Total citrus exports from the Southern Hemisphere fell in 2024 after several years of marked growth. The main culprit was South Africa, which contributed two-thirds of the Southern Hemisphere’s exports at 2.23 million tons. SOUTH AFRICA South Africa is by far the main exporter of fresh citrus in the Southern Hemisphere. In this region, South Africa is traditionally the largest …
Turkish Citrus Production to Plummet
Production of all citrus varieties in Türkiye in 2024–25 is forecast to decline, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) reported. ORANGES Orange production is projected to decline 30% from the prior year to 1.6 million metric tons (MMT). The decline is due to excessive hot weather conditions during the blooming period in spring 2024. Yield per …





























