Citrus fruits represent the most important fruit tree crop in the world.
This colossal industry encompasses oranges, mandarins, tangelos, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and other related fruits with production exceeding 120 million metric tons each year according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. China leads the way in overall citrus production, followed by Brazil, India, the United States, and Mexico.
In the United States, the top producers are California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona, and it’s no surprise oranges continue to lead the domestic citrus category. Next up are lemons, tangerines, and mandarins, with the last two typically grouped as a single subset.
Part of this subset are the remarkably popular and small but mighty Clementines, which continue to take the industry by storm. But don’t forget about lemons—demand continues to outpace supply for this bright contender—so read on to find what’s hot in citrus and this year’s crop predictions.
While the citrus industry is in flux with more than its fair share of highs and lows, what hasn’t changed is the dedication of those who continue to grow, ship, or sell high-quality, great-tasting citrus. They also continue to adapt and anticipate new trends while investing for the future.
“We’ve experienced incremental gains in our citrus category going back several years, and we look forward to continuing to build our business,” said John Rast, founder and president of Rast Produce as well as trucking firm Sierra Agricultural Transportation, Inc., Visalia, CA.
“Citrus, in particular, is an exciting commodity to be involved with currently and we see the trend of consumption only increasing, especially here in the United States.”
Rast also points out the human element for success in the perishables trade: “We’ve been in business over 20 years, and we credit that to the relationships built over time within the industry. The growth of our business is a testament to the people we work with, and we’ve found a great group of people to build our business around.”
Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual in Exeter, takes a more tangential view. “I think the momentum we’ve created by addressing consumer trends is going to sustain the profitability of this industry.”
Better yet, he points out, “Each one of the citrus varieties did well last year. Indeed, the revenue per acre was positive, and I think that’s going to be the trend for the foreseeable future.”
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full article.
