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28 Apr 2026
Citrus Orchard
By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , , , ,

SA citrus industry eyes record season amid global headwinds

South Africa’s citrus growers are heading into the 2026 export season with cautious optimism. Projections show a 3%–5% increase, with up to 215 million cartons expected. But global instability, including conflict in the Middle East, could impact demand, shipping, and costs. As the citrus export season approaches, the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has released its export estimates. The figures reflect the expected volume of citrus available for export, and the estimates point to continued growth in the industry.

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23 Mar 2026
EU Missions - Soil deal for Europe
By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , ,

EU Missions – Soil deal for Europe

The Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ is an ambitious, innovative instrument launched in 2021 by the European Commission to accelerate the development and large-scale deployment of solutions for sustainable land and soil management as part of a wider, green transition. Together with the Soil Strategy, the upcoming Soil Health Law, the EU Soil Observatory and climate policies (such as for carbon farming) the Mission is part of a robust framework for soil protection in the EU. While rooted in the EU research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, the Mission serves as a mechanism to enhance synergies with other EU programmes such as the Common Agricultural Policy and to team up with stakeholders in Member States, EU Associated Countries and global partners.

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30 Jun 2025
Cover Crops
By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , , , , , ,

Use of the Cover Crop Weed Index to Evaluate Weed Suppression by Cover Crops in Organic Citrus Orchards

Citrus is one of the most important crops in Florida. During the past decade, increased international competition and urban development, diseases, and more stringent environmental regulations have greatly affected the citrus industry. Citrus growers transitioning to organic production may benefit from premium prices, but they also face many challenges, including development of effective weed management strategies. Cover crops (CC) may constitute an environmentally sound alternative for improved weed management in organic systems. Two field experiments were conducted at Citra in north central Florida from 2002 to 2005, to evaluate the effectiveness of annual and perennial CC to suppress weeds in organic citrus groves. To quantify and compare the effectiveness of CC to suppress weed growth, a new weed suppression assessment tool, the cover crop/weed index (CCWI), was developed using the ratio of biomass accumulation of CC and weeds.

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21 May 2025
California Citrus
By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , ,

Import tariffs expected to have limited impact on citrus shipments from the southern hemisphere

California’s mandarin supply is gradually winding down and harvest will likely wrap up in the last week of May or the first week of June. “This is in line with what we expected or perhaps a bit earlier,” says Miles Fraser-Jones with Sierra Produce. There is already less fruit available in the market as some California grower-shippers are holding back fruit in order to be able to continue supplying their retail programs into June. “As a result, we are noticing an improvement on the market conditions, which is positive for southern hemisphere citrus,” Fraser-Jones said.

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24 Jan 2025
Blood orange
By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , , , , , , ,

Good volume but smaller sizing on California organic citrus

Organic citrus supply is strong right now. “We’re at the heart of the season for the next 90 days–we’re going on all cylinders on all categories,” says Craig Morris, citrus category director for Homegrown Organic Farms. Those citrus categories include Blood oranges, Cara Caras, grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, Navel oranges, and Pomelos. Next month, it will start with Minneolas and Gold Nuggets as well. “From a volume perspective, we’re probably down about 10 percent this year overall and that’s primarily because our size structure is down about ½ to a full size on most commodities. So there are overall boxes lost because of that,” says Morris, adding that this is because it’s been a relatively dry season so far. “Normally, we have a better range of sizes and we’re hoping to make up some ground because we’re a long way from being done.”

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24 Jan 2025
Post-harvest technology
By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , , , , , , , ,

Challenges and opportunities in the post-harvest sector for 2025

The post-harvest sector is undergoing a transformation, driven by growing challenges and opportunities for innovation. In 2025, key market players—producers, exporters, and marketers—face pressing issues such as rising energy costs, process optimization, and compliance with increasingly stringent quality standards. In this context, Maf Roda firmly believes that automation and artificial intelligence will be essential drivers to meet these demands.

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25 Nov 2024
Blood Orange
0 Comments By Firstfruits Consulting Website News , ,

Re-evaluating citrus properties and benefits

Regular intake of carotenoids in the diet has been associated with the key health benefits of reducing the risk of developing degenerative diseases, cardiovascular issues, and obesity. By informing consumers of these health benefits, as well as recent findings of the carotenoid composition of red (lycopene) oranges, the work of this research team is helping to address the unfortunate decline in citrus consumption.

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