Organic Citrus
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Limoneira Co. announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wileman Bros. & Elliott, Inc., to come together to sell their combined citrus volumes under the One World of Citrus Alliance.
The Reedley, Calif.-based company says it is offering increasing volumes of organic lemons, sweet limes, grapefruit, and navel oranges this season — including newly certified organic washington navels.
Demand for specialty citrus continues to grow in both conventional and organic categories, says DiSilva Fruit.
The company says its next organic clementine varieties, including satsumas, are also “eating exceptionally well.”