Grapefruit
Despite the pandemic, ports on both coasts have optimistic fresh produce outlooks, and the Alliance for Food and Farming is looking at small, but positive changes during the pandemic.
Bee Sweet Citrus is transitioning into its annual summer program as the pandemic continues to drive sales.
Sunkist Growers, Valencia, Calif., is celebrating the return of summer citrus and California Valencia oranges with a campaign focusing on “the all-American summer.”
Florida Classic Growers, Dundee, Fla., has a new partnership with three citrus groups that will expand its product offerings and increase distribution of citrus marketed under the company’s label.
Veronique Sallin, co-founder of Clermont, Fla.-based IMG Enterprises Inc., parent company of IMG Citrus, is Florida’s 2020 Woman of the Year in Agriculture.
U.S. Fresh blueberries, dates, grapefruit and sweet potatoes are among U.S. agricultural products have been hit with 25% retaliatory tariffs by the European Union in mid-November.
IMG Citrus, Vero Beach, Fla., has purchased a 4,000-acre grapefruit grove in St. Lucie County.
Fruit World Co., Reedley, Calif., will have a full lineup of citrus in promotable volumes this season.
IMG Citrus, Vero Beach, Fla., is marketing white grapefruit in the U.S. as a return to the original heirloom Florida grapefruit.
U.S. orange production forecasts have remained steady in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest citrus report, but Florida should expect a slight increase over last year’s final production.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded the University of Florida a $3.5 million grant to study using mesh screenhouses to guard grapefruit against huanglongbing (HLB).
California growers are expected to produce 80 million cartons of navel oranges during the 2018-19 season, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s an 11% increase over last year.
Singapore-based tech company DiMuto has its first customer in the U.S., with citrus company Fancher Creek Packing using its Track & Trace blockchain technology.
Struggling Florida citrus growers face tough decisions
Florida growers set to collect smallest crop since 1945.
New fruit company TerraFresh Organics, Mill Valley, Calif., is starting out with citrus and mangoes under the Earth Greens Organic label.
The new U.S.-Japan trade agreement will deliver a tariff reduction and higher safeguard levels for U.S. orange shipments, and that should translate to a moderate increase in U.S. orange exports to Japan in 2020.
Citrus surged in interest during the last few days of December, taking six of the top 20 spots.
Strawberries retained the No. 1 spot on PMG the week of Feb. 1, but apples rose from No. 8 the previous week to take the No. 2 slot.
Citrus marketers have benefitted from great consumer interest during the COVID-19 pandemic and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon, Christina Ward thinks.
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.
Strawberries enjoyed a third week in a row at No. 1 on PMG, while pummelos bumped oranges down to take the No. 2 spot, landing oranges at No. 3.
Lone Star Citrus, Mission, Texas, is promoting Winter Sweetz grapefruit with Sweeter in Texas, a sweepstakes celebrating the state’s red grapefruit season into the new year.
Avocados bounced from No. 7 the week of Nov. 30 to take the lead spot on PMG the week of Nov. 7.
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.
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.
Pummelos and oranges maintained the top two spots on PMG the first week of January, but strawberries rejoined the list at No. 3.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that fresh citrus producers voted to continue the marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida.
Pummelos were finally knocked from their weeks-long run at No. 1 when strawberries took the top spot on PMG the week of Jan. 25.
Prissy Fletcher is overjoyed. The cabbage crop is thriving this year in St. Johns County, just south of Jacksonville in northeastern Florida.