Latest News From Organic Citrus

Organic oranges brought in more than $36 million in 2019 and comprised 3.8% of the retail orange category. Lemons grossed a similar dollar amount but made a bit more of an impact on retail lemon sales.

Shipments of oranges and grapefruit from Texas should be up slightly this season, according to the November citrus forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

This should be a good year for Florida citrus with grower-shippers reporting good growing conditions for oranges and grapefruit, and some suppliers adding increasingly popular easy peelers.

Exports play a role in the marketing plans of many citrus grower-shippers, but that role can vary from company to company and season to season.

Pummelos, oranges and strawberries maintained the top three spots on PMG the week of Jan. 11, but mandarins rose from No. 11 the previous week to No. 4, and cabbage, previously No. 12, moved up to the No. 5 spot.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged produce grower-shippers throughout the U.S., but a silver lining for the citrus industry is consumers’ perception of citrus as immunity boosters.

Although USDA's NASS estimated that California’s navel orange crop will be about 42 million 80-pound boxes this season, some grower-shippers estimate that number might be a bit on the heavy side.

Consumers typically turn to citrus to load up on vitamin C during cold and flu season, but this year, suppliers hope they’ll stock up on even more grapefruit, oranges, mandarins and lemons to keep COVID-19 at bay.

The Packer's Organic Fresh Trends 2021 consumer survey reveals a vast cross-section of commodity-specific insights about organic produce consumption.

Avocados bounced from No. 7 the week of Nov. 30 to take the lead spot on PMG the week of Nov. 7.

Organic pears maintained the top spot on PMG the week of Nov. 30, but citrus showed strong interest overall, taking six of the top 20 spots.

DiSilva Fruit and Morning Kiss Organic are ready to deliver delicious, vitamin-packed organic and conventional citrus for the coming citrus season.

Patagonia Orchards LLC has added a second grower to boost its output of organic citrus.