A Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) meeting was held on June 10 at the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference in Bonita Springs. At the meeting, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Executive Director Shannon Shepp reported that the FDOC’s True Original campaign for orange juice (OJ), along with marketing agency Padilla, recently received the Best of Show award from the National Agri-Marketing …
Consumer Insights on Florida Citrus
Marisa Zansler, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) director of economic and market research, reported on citrus economic issues at the June Florida Citrus Commission meeting. Her report included consumer perceptions and intentions. ORANGE JUICE Zansler’s reported findings regarding orange juice (OJ) included: FRESH FRUIT Zansler shared the following findings regarding fresh Florida citrus: Source: FDOC Sponsored ContentTake Advantage of Rising …
Benefits of Regularly Drinking OJ Differ by Body Weight
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) reported that a recent study suggests regular orange juice consumption may support heart health while improving blood pressure regulation, lipid metabolism and inflammation. However, benefits can differ from person to person based on body weight. This clinical intervention study examined how drinking orange juice every day affects the body at the molecular level and …
FDOC Discusses How Best to Spend State Funds
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) met virtually on May 29 to allocate legislatively authorized state general revenue funds for Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) marketing. The FCC, whose members are appointed by Florida’s governor, is the board that oversees the FDOC. After the FCC previously met on May 20, the Florida Legislature concluded its work on a budget that designates …
OJ to Keep Flowing at Florida Welcome Centers
The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on May 20 approved a $250,000 contract with Visit Florida to continue providing free orange juice at Florida welcome centers on interstate highways. The FCC serves as the governing board for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC), which performs marketing, research and regulatory functions for the state’s citrus industry. Visit Florida, the state’s official destination …
Pressures Impacting the Brazilian Citrus Industry
Shifts in the international geopolitical landscape, rising logistics costs, sanitary barriers and currency fluctuations are directly impacting Brazil’s fruit industry, including citrus. The effects of these transformations were discussed during a recent edition of the Socioeconomics Debates series, hosted by Embrapa, under the theme, Brazil’s Fruit Industry: How Global Crises Impact What Reaches Your Table. Researchers, economists and production representatives …
Florida Citrus Marketing Plans Presented for 2026–27
The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) presented marketing plans for the 2026–27 season at the May 20 meeting of the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). The FCC serves as the FDOC’s governing board. ORANGE JUICE Florida orange juice will continue to be positioned as the original wellness drink. The marketing effort will be aimed at juice consumers and health professionals. The …
Florida Citrus Mutual Hosts Spring Grower Meeting
Florida Citrus Mutual hosted its spring informational meeting for growers at Golden Ridge Groves in Alturas on May 13. Golden Ridge Groves is growing fresh fruit in citrus under protective screen and recently added you-pick and agritourism options for the public. Steven Hall, executive director of the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation, gave an update and recounted the …
Research Confirms OTC Improvements in Groves
The Florida Citrus Growers’ Institute was held at South Florida College in Avon Park last week to share the latest research from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Besides hearing presentations, attendees had an opportunity to interact one-on-one with scientists at 21 learning stations covering topics like entomology, citrus breeding, weed control and soil nutrition. …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Thought About Brixy?
By Peter Chaires Nurseries and growers are continuously searching for suitable substitutes for Hamlin sweet orange to supply the early/mid-season orange juice market. Besides traditional sweet oranges, many new hybrids are in various stages of development. Some of these are likely to rise to the level of commercial viability in the orange-like category. Growers wanting to trial an orange-like hybrid …
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, …
Cover Crops, Ecological Mowing Benefit Citrus
Brazil’s Fundecitrus reported on the benefits to citrus from the use of perennial cover crops such as Urochloa ruziziensis combined with the adoption of ecological mowing. This technology has been gaining space in groves by redistributing the phytomass of cover crops from the interrows to the planting rows, forming a protective mulching layer over the soil. Benefits of the management …
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 …
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 …
Global Grapefruit and Lemon/Lime Projections
A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) report — Citrus: World Markets and Trade — included global fresh grapefruit and fresh lemon/lime projections for 2025–26. GRAPEFRUIT UP Global fresh grapefruit production is forecast up 2% to 7 million tons on larger crops in China, the United States and the European Union (EU). China production is forecast …
Influence of Rootstock on Growth, Productivity and Fruit Quality of Eureka Lemon
By Kim D. Bowman, Matt Mattia, Ranjeet Shinde and Flavia Zambon Profitability of the historic kings of citrus in Florida, sweet orange juice and fresh market grapefruit, has been severely reduced by the impact of huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that lemon cultivars are generally more tolerant to HLB than sweet orange and grapefruit. Lemon trees continue cropping …
Florida’s Replanting Era: What it Means for OJ Demand
By Marisa Zansler Over the past year, there has been a discreet change occurring in the orange juice (OJ) aisle amid supply shortages. Some of the familiar OJ cartons have changed, not in name but in composition. With Florida’s smaller crop and limited global OJ supplies, Florida’s processors have stretched that limited supply by offering more products that blend OJ …




























