Israeli citrus

Israeli Citrus Crops to Rebound

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) has forecast all varieties of Israeli citrus to rise in 2024–25 compared to the prior year. The 2023–24 marketing year saw lower production largely as a result of the war with Hamas.  PRODUCTION PROJECTIONS Production by varieties in 2024–25 are projected at: GROWING REGIONS Israeli citrus production is located throughout the …

Vegetable Seminar Program Available

Daniel CooperEducation, Events, FCS24, Florida Citrus Show

With expanding vegetable acreage in parts of South Florida, the Florida Citrus Show now hosts a special vegetable breakout seminar to serve growers in the region. The researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and U.S. Department of Agriculture have put together an informative agenda covering a wide range of topics. Some of the subjects …

weather

Foliar Disease Watch in Florida

Daniel CooperDiseases, Tip of the Week

By Megan Dewdney Spring is the time to start thinking about foliar disease management in Florida. Depending on the type of citrus being produced and the market destination, different diseases will be important. POSTBLOOM FRUIT DROP The disease that affects all citrus, particularly oranges, is postbloom fruit drop (PFD). This disease is highly dependent on the weather during bloom. Currently, …

Harvesting

Mechanical Harvesting Highlighted at Demo Citrus

Daniel CooperHarvesting, Technology

A citrus mechanical harvesting demonstration and a discussion of Brazilian citrus farming were among presentations at Demo Citrus 2025, held in Seville, Spain in late January. Harvest+ demonstrated a robot harvesting oranges. Harvest+ is a consortium of Fundecitrus, Move Agro and the Andalusian Institute for Research and Training in Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Organic Production in partnership with Pek Automotive. …

Moroccan

Moroccan Tangerine/Mandarin Crop to Climb

Daniel CooperCrop Forecast, International

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) recently forecast Morocco’s tangerine/mandarin production for 2024–25 at 1.1 million metric tons (MMT). That’s an increase of 16% from the prior season due to increased irrigation practices and a high level of new plantings coming into full production for the Nadorcott and Afourer varieties. The Moroccan area planted with tangerines/mandarins is …

Brix

Brix Bill Reintroduced

Daniel CooperLegislative

U.S. representatives from Florida have reintroduced legislation to have the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alter the Brix standard in not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice from 10.5% to 10%. The Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act was reintroduced by Reps. Scott Franklin and Debbie Wasserman Schultz and is cosponsored by the entire Florida congressional delegation.  Currently, oranges below the 10.5% …

Orange Crop

Update to Brazil’s Orange Crop Forecast

Daniel CooperBrazil, Crop Forecast

Fundecitrus and its cooperators released an orange crop forecast on Feb. 10. Total production is forecast to be 228.52 million boxes for 2024–25. This is a 2.4% increase from the December forecast of 223.14 million boxes, but a decrease of 1.7% from the season’s initial orange estimate that was released in May. This forecast is for the São Paulo and …

Florida Crop Forecast Has Changes

Tacy CalliesCrop Forecast, Florida

The Feb. 11 citrus crop forecast, as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), shows both decreases and an increase for Florida when compared to the January forecast. LESS ORANGESThe 2024–25 Florida orange forecast is 11.5 million boxes, down 500,000 boxes, or 4%, from the January forecast. If realized, this will be 36% less …

survey

Survey Shows Popular Scions and Rootstocks

Daniel CooperRootstocks, Survey, Varieties

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 …

temperature inversion

Temperature Inversion: Not a Friend of Pesticide Applicators

Daniel CooperCEU, Pesticides

By Wael Elwakil Editor’s note: This article grants one continuing education unit (CEU) in the Core category toward the renewal of a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services restricted-use pesticide license when the accompanying test is submitted and approved. Temperature inversion is a weather phenomenon that alters the natural air movement in the lower layer of the atmosphere (troposphere). …

oxytetracycline

Lessons From Oxytetracycline Injection Trials

Daniel CooperHLB Management

By Ute Albrecht, Carol Tardivo, Gabriel Pugina, Larissa Nunes, Jasmine de Freitas and Gerardo Moreno Since the approval of oxytetracycline (OTC) injection to manage citrus greening (huanglongbing, HLB) in Florida, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) plant physiology team at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) has completed various research trials with multiple …

herbicide tolerance

Strategies for Managing Herbicide Tolerance

Daniel CooperTip of the Week, weeds

By Ramdas Kanissery Tackling herbicide tolerance in weeds is a critical aspect of effective weed control in citrus groves. It helps prevent both current and future weed management challenges. Herbicide tolerance occurs when certain weed species naturally survive and reproduce after herbicide treatment. Unlike herbicide resistance, where genetic changes allow weeds to survive and spread, herbicide tolerance doesn’t involve any …

export

Brazilian Orange Juice and Trade

Daniel CooperBrazil, Orange Juice, Trade

Orange juice processing and trade are among topics addressed in a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA FAS) report on Brazilian citrus.  Approximately 80% of Brazilian orange production is used for juice processing, and 20% goes to the market as fresh fruit, USDA FAS reported. Orange juice production is concentrated in the state of São Paulo, followed by Minas Gerais. …

Southern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere Citrus Exports Decline

Daniel CooperInternational, Trade

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 …

nutrient management

Rejuvenate HLB Trees With Precision Nutrient Management

Daniel CooperNutrition, Tip of the Week

By Meryam Manzoor, Jamie D. Burrow, Taylor Livingston and Tripti Vashisth Effective nutrient management and accurate nutritional analysis are critical for tree growth and maximum yield. Historically, nutrient management for healthy citrus trees involved annual leaf sampling from July to August, with subsequent fertilization plans based on a single nutrient analysis. Almost all commercial citrus groves in Florida are affected …

Citrus AI

Florida Student Honored for Citrus AI App

Daniel CooperAwards, Technology

The Citrus AI app created by Rohan Dash, an 11th-grade student at Pine View School in Sarasota County, earned first place in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge for the 17th Congressional District of Florida. The app is designed to support Florida’s citrus industry by analyzing crop health, predicting threats and optimizing resource usage. “Rohan Dash’s Citrus AI app stands out …

Citrus Achievement Award

Citrus Achievement Award Celebrates 25 Years

Daniel CooperAwards

For a quarter of a century, the Citrus Achievement Award has grown into the gold standard of industry recognition for those who have made and continue to make a significant impact within and even beyond the Florida citrus community. The Citrus Achievement Award is presented to an individual grower, allied member, legislator, researcher or anyone else who stands out through …

labor

Farm Labor Addressed at Florida Citrus Show

Daniel CooperCitrus, Events, FCS24, Florida Citrus Show, Labor

Labor is a perennial issue specialty crop growers must continue to deal with. Many growers in the Southeast have turned to the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program to source labor that is required on their farms. While the program has its challenges, it has become vital in securing production and harvest of specialty crops. Jamie Fussell, director of labor relations …

citrus

CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Citrus Researchers Coming Together

Daniel CooperCitrus Nursery Source, Research

By Peter Chaires Florida’s citrus industry is well supported by two phenomenal research institutions: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). UF/IFAS provides research and Extension support from its main campus in Gainesville, as well as from its research and education centers and county Extension offices across the state. …

record

Brazilian Orange Prices Set Record Highs

Daniel CooperBrazil, Economics

Orange prices in Brazil set record highs in 2024, the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (CEPEA) in Brazil reported. According to CEPEA, the value of a 90-pound box was above BRL 100 ($16.63 U.S.) in the fresh market. The record price is explained by firm demand from the industry, which faced low orange juice (OJ) stocks and limited …