California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Organic Certifiers Recognized for Data Partnership and Collaboration

    The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) today recognized the work of accredited organic certifiers with awards for extraordinary support of the National Organic Standards. The awards were presented at the annual NOP Certifier Training for organic inspectors from around the world, held virtually. Ten certifiers were recognized for exceeding requirements for delivering high quality data to the Organic INTEGRITY Database in 2021. Two Certifiers were also recognized with a Director’s Award for outstanding contributions to work in organic certification.

    “These awards recognize the success of our public-private partnership and demonstrate the close collaboration between certifiers and the program to protect consumer confidence and maintain a level playing field for organic farmers, ranchers and businesses,” said NOP Deputy Administrator Jennifer Tucker. “The work of these certifiers really stood out, even at a time when the overall quality and timeliness of the data being provided voluntarily continues to improve each year.”

    Up-to-date public information about organic operations helps buyers and sellers find each other in the marketplace, making data an important market development tool. The USDA Organic Integrity Database makes it easy for anyone to look up the status of a certified organic operation and see the products that each farm and business has to offer.

    The fifth annual Investing in INTEGRITY Data Quality Award winners are (listed alphabetically):

    • CCOF Certification Services, LLC (CCOF) – Santa Cruz, CA

    • Certificadora Mexicana de Productos y Procesos Ecologicos SC (CMEX) – Oaxaca, Mexico

    •Clemson University (CU) – Pendleton, SC

    • Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) – Des Moines, IA

    •LACON GmbH (LACON) – Offenburg, Germany

    • Marin Organic Certified Agriculture (MOCA) – Novato, CA

    • MOFGA Certification Services, LLC (MCS) – Unity, ME

    • New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food (NHDAMF) – Concord, NH

    •Primus Auditing Operations (PAO) – Santa Maria, CA

    • Quality Certification Services (QCS) – Gainesville, FL

    Exceeding Data Requirements

    The federal organic regulations currently require that certifiers annually submit a set of basic facts regarding all certified operations to the Organic Integrity Database. The database also includes many optional fields, like acreage and head count for cattle or poultry, that can aid in oversight. The Strengthening Organic Enforcement rulemaking underway will increase accreditation and certification oversight, in part, through additional reporting and training requirements for certifiers and inspectors.

    The ten certifiers recognized today significantly exceeded the minimum requirements by supplying additional detail on their certified operations and submitting updates on a rolling basis throughout the year.

    Over the past year, two certifiers stood also out for their consistent, effective communication and collaboration with NOP staff on a wide range of issues and day-to-day operations, including fraud investigations. Their regular, open collaboration with the Program provided increased insight into the real-world application of the organic standards, while allowing the NOP to more effectively ensure certifiers are consistently applying the standards for USDA certified farms and businesses located in the U.S. and around the world.

    For their outstanding contributions to work in organic certification, the 2022 National Organic Program Director’s Award winners are:

    • Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) – Corvallis, OR

    • MOFGA Certification Services, LLC (MCS) – Unity, ME

    Organic Oversight

    The NOP develops and enforces voluntary standards for organically produced agricultural products sold in the United States. Congress established the NOP as a regulatory program that operates as a public-private partnership. The NOP currently accredits and oversees 76 certifiers operating around the world.

    These third-party organizations inspect and certify organic farms and businesses to the USDA organic regulations. USDA also invests significant resources to develop certifier and inspector capabilities and oversee their work year-round.

    The Organic INTEGRITY Database makes information on current and former certified organic operations publicly available online from anywhere in the world. It allows users to quickly confirm the organic certification status and other details of a farm or business and helps certifiers support the organic community in market development and fraud prevention.

    More information on organic enforcement and oversight is available on the NOP website at www.ams.usda.gov/organic.

  • AG Labor And Workforce Reform Update

    California Avocado Commission — Since 2019, the California Avocado Commission has worked with Congressional members, the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform and other agricultural leaders and organizations to voice support for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. The FWMA House bill was passed with bipartisan support in November 2019 and again in March 2021. During the summer of 2021, Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) led discussions concerning a Senate version of the FMWA. Those discussions were paused as the Senate engaged in efforts to pass the legislation via the budget reconciliation process. By the end of 2021, the Senate’s efforts to move “immigration via reconciliation” forward were rejected three times by the Senate parliamentarian. Further, the Build Back Better Act, which allocated funds for immigration reform and protections for farm workers, faltered after Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced he could not support the BBB Act.

    Currently, the fate of BBB is uncertain and its unclear whether new versions of the Act will contain significant immigration reform. Observers note the most likely path forward for meaningful immigration reform may be a bipartisan agreement on a package that can secure the 60+ votes needed to pass in the Senate.

    While agriculture reforms remain a fairly popular component of a potential package and Senators Crapo and Bennet are interesting in furthering dialogue concerning a Senate version of FWMA, members of the Hill have noted they “aren’t hearing much from our constituents on the ag labor situation.” This year the agriculture industry faces pending H-2A wage rule changes that will not be favorable for growers, a potential jump in Adverse Effect Wage Rates due to the labor market and supply chain challenges, and continued challenges in securing a reliable workforce. In light of this, members of the agriculture industry are encourage to redouble their efforts to communicate with their elected leaders, especially their U.S. Senators, concerning the labor force challenges they face and the urgent need for action on reform.

  • FDA Issues Report Highlighting Salmonella Outbreak in Packaged Leafy Greens

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report on its investigation of the Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak that caused 31 reported illnesses and four hospitalizations in the U.S. between June and August 2021. The FDA worked with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state partners to investigate the outbreak, which was linked through epidemiology and traceback to packaged salad greens during the summer of 2021. This outbreak is believed to be FDA’s first domestic investigation of a foodborne illness outbreak associated with leafy greens grown in a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) operation. The CEA operation produces leafy greens using common commercial high density hydroponic growing techniques with deep water culture and floating raft production methods. The report released today includes an overview of the traceback investigation, investigation results, and various factors that potentially contributed to the contamination of packaged leafy greens with Salmonella.

    Although a conclusive root cause was not identified, the agency identified certain conditions and practices that could result in contamination, including the presence of a different serotype of Salmonella in pond water used to grow the leafy greens, growth media storage practices, water management practices, and general sanitation practices at the CEA that were inadequate to prevent the introduction or spread of microorganisms of public health significance into the leafy greens.

    FDA isolated the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium in a stormwater retention basin adjacent to the CEA farm. However, the investigation did not reveal if that stormwater retention basin was the source of the Salmonella that ultimately contaminated the leafy greens. This highlights the importance of assessing all microbial hazards, including those associated with adjacent and nearby land uses.

    In light of this report, FDA highlights the following requirements and recommendations applicable to firms, such as the hydroponic operation implicated in this S. Typhimurium outbreak, engaged in CEA. Here are some of the requirements and recommendations:

    • Develop a keen understanding of potential sources and routes of contamination including the raw materials and inputs used, as well as possible sources of contamination throughout the operation.
    • Implement effective sanitation procedures and sampling plans while also paying close attention to hygienic operations and equipment design, ensuring cleaning procedures do not contribute to the dispersion of microbial contaminants that may be present.
    • Assess growing operations to ensure implementation of appropriate science- and risk-based preventive measures, including applicable required provisions of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and good agricultural practices (GAPs).
    • Implement procedures that are effective in rapidly cooling and cold holding harvested leafy greens after harvest and verify the effectiveness of the cooling and cold holding procedures, including the routine monitoring of processing and storage environments and product temperatures to prevent pathogen growth in harvested leafy greens.
    • If employing tools such as pre-harvest and post-harvest sampling and testing of food, water, and the physical environment, seek to identify and inform sampling plans, limits of detection, and mitigation measures that control potential sources and routes of bacterial contamination in the growing and harvesting environment.
    • Ensure that all growing pond water is safe and of adequate sanitary quality for its intended use, which includes implementing measures (such as water treatment) necessary to reduce the potential for contamination by known or reasonably foreseeable hazards.
    • Perform a root cause analysis when a pathogen is identified in the growing environment, in raw agricultural inputs such as water, or in the agricultural commodity to determine how the contamination likely occurred and implement appropriate prevention and verification measures.
    • Assess and mitigate risks associated with adjacent and nearby land uses that may impact CEA operations, in both rural and more urbanized settings.

    These requirements and recommendations are just some examples that serve as a reminder that as the use of CEA is increasing globally, all types of food production must continue to address basic food safety concerns, including potential sources and routes of contamination. Food safety is a shared responsibility that involves food producers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and regulators. Recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment when it comes to public health outcomes, we encourage collaboration among various groups in the broader agricultural community (i.e., produce growers, state government and academia) to address this issue. The FDA is committed to working with these stakeholders to advance critical work.

    For More Information:

  • National Watermelon Promotion Board Seeks Directors

    The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB) will hold a nomination teleconference on Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 at 8:00 A.M. (PT) for district 4 and Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. (PT) for district 5 to nominate qualified watermelon producers and watermelon handlers to fill open positions as directors of the Board.

    District 4 — The States of: Connecticut, Delaware,Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, NewHampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, DC.District 5 — The States of: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

    The NWPB encourages all women, minorities and persons with disabilities who qualify as watermelon producers and handlers to attend the meeting and run for nomination to the NWPB.

    All watermelon producers and handlers in District 4 & 5 are encouraged to attend and vote to nominate their representatives to the NWPB. Nominations are submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Secretary of Agriculture makes the final appointments to the NWPB. The newly appointed Board members term of office will begin on January 1st, 2023, and end December 31st, 2025.

    The Board members administer promotion and research programs for watermelon. The NWPB works to increase consumer demand for watermelon and expand domestic and foreign markets through its marketing, consumer public relations and education programs. The non-profit Board works with an administrative staff to enact retail, foodservice and media promotions and research programs.

    All Board members are required to attend two meetings each year to become familiar with and develop the Board’s variety of marketing, research and education programs.

    The NWPB represents about 800 commercial watermelon producers, handlers and importers that finance all of the Board’s programs through assessments on watermelons as authorized by the Watermelon Research and Promotion Act. The 30-member Board is currently comprised of 10 producers, 10 handlers, 9 importers, and a member who represents the public.

    Board members are nominated by their peers, and nominations are submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, who makes final appointments to the Board. These board members oversee all aspects of the Board, including setting policies and deciding how the Board’s budget is invested in promotion, research and education programs. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the Board’s operations.

    To be eligible for nomination, producers must grow 10 or more acres of watermelon, and handlers must be the first handler of watermelon, according to §1210.306 and §1210.308 of the Watermelon Research and Promotion Plan.

    Consistent with §1210.403, the NWPB will allow proxy voting for Board nominees. Individuals wishing to vote by proxy should prepare signed, dated statements, including the proxy voter’s printed name, address, telephone number, identity as a producer or handler, and the name of the individual authorized to cast the proxy vote. These statements should be given to those authorized to cast the proxy vote, who will then provide the statements to the NWPB no later than Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022.

    The producers and handlers appointed to the Board will represent the NWPB’s interests throughout the district in meetings and other forums, and should be dedicated to supporting the Board’s marketing, promotion, research and education programs.

    Additional information regarding the elections and nomination procedures may be obtained by contacting NWPB Director of Operations & Industry Affairs Rebekah Dossett (407) 605-5984 or Industry Affairs Manager Andrea Smith (407) 613-2972.

  • New Research Findings: The Heart Loves Blueberries

    A new study published in Clinical Nutrition and supported by the US Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) found that the equivalent of one cup of fresh blueberries, consumed as 26 g of freeze-dried blueberries, may reduce the acute cardiometabolic burden of energy-dense meals. Or, simply put: The new research further supports that blueberries may benefit heart health.

    As part of USHBC’s programming engaging health professionals, the study findings will be leveraged to promote blueberries as part of a healthy diet, continuing to boost  blueberries’ health halo to drive demand.

    “This is the first study of its kind conducted in an at-risk population, adults with metabolic syndrome, a condition affecting nearly 40% of Americans and one in four adults in the UK,” said Aedin Cassidy, Ph.D., chair of nutrition and preventive medicine, and director of the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University, Belfast, and the study’s lead investigator.

    Learn more about the study here. For more information on how USHBC is working with health professionals, and to access resources to leverage with your own health influencers or audiences, visit healthprofessionals.blueberry.org.

  • Carbon Sequestration’s Impact on Blueberries

    At the US Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) Innovate 2021 Conference, Markus Kleber, professor of soil system science at Oregon State University, hosted a “Carbon Sequestration Lunch.” The session provided an overview of carbon sequestration and detailed the potential benefits to blueberry growers and farmers everywhere. Kleber explained that, as carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere increases, CO2 molecules absorb part of the energy from solar radiation, causing more warming in the atmosphere. This, of course, could have significant impacts on blueberry production across the globe. Despite improvements in reducing emissions, there is still a 0.6% annual increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally.
    “Humans are intervening in the carbon cycle, and industrial agriculture has driven down the carbon in the soil,” Kleber shared. “When you lose half your soil carbon, you’re bound to see reductions in plant productivity…When we talk about carbon sequestration we are referring to the transfer and storage of atmospheric carbon to other pools, such as soil or plant biomass.”
    Best management practices can restore at least some of this carbon, and soil carbon sequestration can be a significant GHG removal practice. Despite various challenges, there’s strong public interest in finding carbon sequestration solutions. Growers should recognize and take advantage of this interest, both through marketing and farming practices. Increasing soil carbon can be beneficial for overall soil health.
    As part of the 2021-25 strategic plan, USHBC will review global sustainability considerations of relevance to the entire blueberry supply chain and develop an overall approach for how to build these considerations into USHBC’s programs and industry practices.
    Click here to view a replay of the Carbon Sequestration Lunch.

  • CA Pre-Season Avocado Crop Estimate at 306 Million Pounds

    In December 2021, the California Avocado Commission surveyed industry handlers to develop the following 2022 California Avocado Pre-Season Crop Estimate (please note the California Avocado Commission’s crop year is aligned with the calendar year, January 1st through December 31st, and therefore information provided is for the 2022 calendar year.)

    Hass production is forecasted at 291 million pounds, Lamb-Hass at 9 million pounds, GEM at 5 million pounds, and 1 million pounds of other varieties, which comes to a total estimate of 306 million pounds. The Commission has also compiled detailed crop projections, including: pre-Season industry volume estimates broken down by month and variety; weekly harvest forecast utilizing AMRIC Handler Survey percentages for Hass variety (four-year historical forecast used for Lamb, three-year historical forecast used for GEM and Other); and weekly harvest forecast comparison of four-year historical forecast versus AMRIC Handler Survey.

    The Commission has also compiled detailed crop projections, including:

    • Pre-Season industry volume estimates, broken down by month and variety, based on AMRIC Handler Survey responses
    • Weekly harvest forecast utilizing AMRIC Handler Survey percentages for Hass variety (four-year historical forecast used for Lamb, three-year historical forecast used for GEM and Other)
    • Weekly harvest forecast comparison of four-year historical forecast versus AMRIC Handler Survey

    The Commission staff will remain in contact with growers, handlers and grove managers throughout the season, via surveys and telephone conversations, to track harvest strategy and will provide updated forecasts to the industry as they become available. As we have done in the past, CAC will plan to follow up with the handlers in February to discuss crop volume and harvest plans before the season gets underway.

    In addition to handler surveys and discussions, the annual grower crop survey and acreage inventory survey will be conducted in Spring 2022, with a mid-season crop estimate update available mid-May 2022.

  • Moonshadow Joins ‘Galaxy’ of Colorful Tomatoes

    Moonshadow, a deeply pigmented purplish-red, oblong tomato, was bred using traditional crossing methods and derived from a cross between a black grape tomato and a high-flavor orange grape tomato. It is now available for pre-order, for spring 2022 planting, from High Mowing Organic Seeds.

    Moonshadow is the sixth variety in the Galaxy Suite, a colorful, multishaped group of medley grape tomatoes bred by Phillip Griffiths, associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell AgriTech.

    “There’s increasing consumer interest in foods that are unique, aesthetically pleasing and colorful,” Griffiths said. “Farmers markets have been expanding considerably, and consumers who shop at these markets want both local produce and products not typically available in supermarkets. The market for small-fruited, single-bite medley types is increasing, and it has huge potential going forward.”

    Moonshadow tomatoes.

    “I hope that these tomatoes contribute to making healthy food more fun and more interesting, while providing local and organic growers with increased options for high-value products. If you have limited land, expensive land, you can get more value out of these kinds of crops, especially using high-tunnel greenhouses,” shared Griffiths.

    Farmers markets have blossomed across the U.S. over the past 25 years. In 1994, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture began tracking, there were 1,755 farmers markets. There are more than 8,000 today. Consumer interest in organic foods also continues to grow: in 2020, organic food sales in the U.S. topped $50 billion, growing 4.6% from the year before; total food sales grew by 2%.

    Griffiths began crossing heirloom tomatoes in 2004, and some of those selections became the Galaxy Suite varieties. He specifically wanted to create varieties that were new, different and would support small farmers, organic growers and home gardeners in New York and the Northeast, though the tomatoes grow well across the U.S., he said.

    “I hope that these tomatoes contribute to making healthy food more fun and more interesting, while providing local and organic growers with increased options for high-value products,” Griffiths said. “If you have limited land, expensive land, you can get more value out of these kinds of crops, especially using high-tunnel greenhouses.”

    Even in the small-fruited market classes, growers generally favor bigger tomatoes that are easier and faster to harvest and package, Griffiths said. Meanwhile, consumers seem to prefer one-bite cherry tomatoes; however, many cherries have issues with fruit skin splitting on the vine or after harvest. Griffiths wanted to find a happy medium: small-fruited, high-flavor tomatoes, as consumers prefer, with better shelf-stability and after-harvest quality.

    Moonshadow and the Galaxy Suite fit the bill, said Paul Betz, sales manager at High Mowing Organic Seeds. The company runs test plots with new seeds before offering them to consumers.

    “Sales of the Galaxy Suite varieties have increased every season. I’ve also seen growers trying them one season and coming back for more the next year, so I think they are fitting a nice niche for people,” Betz said. “First of all, the flavor is amazing and rich, at all stages of ripeness. And they’re firmer, more rugged – they can handle transportation and packaging and arrive with unblemished fruit, which is really important for consumers.”

    For those interested in growing Galaxy Suite tomatoes, Betz offers this advice:

    –Plants are quite vegetative, so don’t plant them too closely spaced.  

    -In trials, the tomatoes grew best outside, in a weave or trellis.  

    -They also grow well trellised in a high tunnel, like a caterpillar, but Betz wouldn’t recommend growing them in a traditional greenhouse because they produce so much plant material and pruning cuts their yield significantly.  

    Griffiths continues to work on additional crosses and hopes to add more varieties to the Galaxy Suite in coming years, he said. — By Krisy Gashler Cornell College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

  • Turkish Orange Crop Forecast Up 40%

    In Market Year (MY) 2021/22, the orange yield is forecast to increase 40 percent to 1.82 million metric tons (MMT) due to favorable rainy weather conditions in March and April 2021. The input costs for items such as fertilizer, fuel, and pesticides are still considered too high while farm gate prices are too low to compensate for the high production costs. Orange exports in MY 2021/22 are expected to increase 20 percent to 265,000 MT when compared with the previous season in correlation with high yield expectations. Tangerine exports in MY 2021/22 are expected to increase 11 percent to 1 MMT in correlation with higher production expectations. In 2021/22, lemon production is expected to increase 27 percent to 1.4 million MT with good quality fruit due to favorable weather conditions in late spring in 2021. The main problems reported by lemon producers in Turkey are diseases and pests, input costs such as fertilizers and chemicals, labor costs for tree trimming, crop quality, and marketing issues. 

    Figure 1. Turkish Citrus Exports by Products, Marketing Years (MY) 2018-2020

    Harmonized System (HS) Codes:

    Oranges 080510
    Tangerines/Mandarins 080520, 080521, 080522, 080529 Lemons 080550
    Grapefruits 080540
    Orange Juice 200911, 200912, 200919

    Abbreviations used in this report:

    FAS USDA Foreign Agricultural Service TDM Trade Data Monitoring
    MT Metric ton (1,000 kg)
    MMT Million Metric Tons

    GoT The Government of Turkey
    MinAF Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MY Marketing year
    PS&D Production, Supply and Distribution
    TL Turkish Lira
    TurkSTAT Turkish Statistical Institute
    USD U.S. Dollar

    Commodities:

    Oranges, Fresh

    Production:

    In MY 2021/22, the orange yield is forecast to increase 40 percent to 1.82 MMT due to favorable rainy weather conditions in March and April 2021. However, in recent months, producers have become concerned about drought conditions affecting the fruit. According to producers, water which is provided by the Irrigation Unions in the region, has already been restricted for orchards due to overall decreasing water levels in local dams because limited rainfall. This issue affects the quality of the fruit but doesn’t greatly affect the yield, according to producers. On the other hand, the yield in the Aegean region is expected to decrease 15 percent due to the freezing weather conditions during the Spring 2021 months.

    Figure 2. Turkey Orange Production and Orchards Comparison, MY 2018/19 – 2020/21

    In MY 2020/21, Turkey produced 1.3 million MT of oranges, which is 23 percent lower than MY 2019/20 (1.7 million MT), due to excessive hot weather conditions in May 2020 during the blooming period of trees. Losses and tonnage problems were seen in MY 2020/21, especially for the Washington variety, which produced 25 percent less fruit than the previous season. Orange production totaled 31 percent of Turkey’s total citrus production in MY 2020/21.

    Turkey produces mostly the Washington variety of oranges, with that variety accounting for 70 percent of total orange production. Eighty-five percent of oranges are produced in the Mediterranean region while 15 percent are produced in Aegean region. 

    The Mediterranean fruit fly is still a major concern. Producers are planning to harvest and sell their products much earlier than normal in order to prevent exposure to the harmful flies. In addition, the input costs for items such as fertilizer, fuel, and pesticides are still considered too high while farm gate prices are too low to compensate for the high production costs. Producers are concerned about MY 2021/22 production since it is expected that input prices will continue to increase, especially fuel and fertilizers.

    Figure 3. Orange Producers Gate Prices, Comparison TL and $ Basis

    As shown in Figure 2, the number of orchards has been decreasing for the last 3 years as producers convert orchard land or determine profits are not great enough to invest fertilizer and pesticides. However, the area is expected to increase for MY 2021/22. The decrease in MY 2020/21 was seen mostly in orchards of the Washington and yapha varieties while orchards for other varieties have been increasing in correlation with export demands. Also, some of producers has converted their orchards from oranges and tangerines to Pitaya fruit due to high demands from touristic places. In MY 2020/21, orange orchards consist of 29 percent of total citrus orchards areas. According to producers, uncertainity concerning gate prices and lack of production technologies are the main negative factors for marketing of oranges.

    Consumption:

    In MY 2021/22, orange consumption is expected to increase to 1,488 MMT in correlation with high production expectations. In MY 2020/21, orange consumption was realized at 1,018 MT in correlation with lower production. The market price of oranges at supermarkets has been increasing, like many commodities, due to multiple stakeholders in the market chain and increasing food inflation. On the other hand, retail prices decreased in January and February 2021 since the GoT applied export restrictions to address EU regulations regarding limited pesticides residues. Many Turkish citrus exports are routinely rejected from the EU and Russia due to maximum residue levels above the importing allowances. Less exports helped the domestic orange market prices to decrease.

    In 2019/20, orange consumption per capita was 12.3 kg. In Turkey, oranges account for 49 percent of total citrus consumption. According to the sector, orange consumption has shrunk 17 percent over the last five years.

    Figure 4. Orange Retail Market Price Changes, Monthly, 2019-2020-2021

    Trade:

    Orange exports in MY 2021/22 are expected to increase 20 percent to 265,000 MT when compared with the previous season in correlation with high yield expectations and assuming normal levels of precipitation over the winter months.

    In 2020/21, Turkey exported 220,630 MT of oranges, which was 24 percent lower than the MY 2019/20 total of 291,846 MT, due to very low yields and the export restrictions laid down by MinAF at the beginning of 2021. For more information about the restrictions, please click here. In MY 2019/20, although orange exports in volume were lower than the previous season due to logistic problems because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the export value was higher than the previous season.

    Figure 5. Turkey Orange Exports (MT) and Export Value ($) Comparison, MY 2018/19-MY 2020/21

    Figure 6. Turkish Orange Exports, Comparison Table for MY 2018/19 – 2020/21

    Russia, Iraq, and Ukraine are the main Turkish orange export markets. In January 2021, the exports to Ukraine reduced 79 percent, the exports to Romania reduced 59 percent and exports to Iraq reduced 52 percent due to the MinAF export restrictions.

    According to exporters, varieties and fruit quality need to be improved and new markets such as China, Far East Countries, South Korea, and the U.S. need to be opened in order to make profits from exports. Storage conditions also need to be improved in order to avoid price fluctuations in the domestic market and foreign markets as well. Better storage facilities will enable Turkish producers to sell their products at a steady supply throughout the year, including at higher prices during lower harvest months. Recently, the European Union has increased import control inspection frequency for Turkey from 10 percent to 20 percent to address pests and maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides. Turkey’s orange export value has decreased 44 percent compared to five years ago.

    Figure 7. Turkish Orange Exports, Country Comparison for MY 2018/19- MY 2020/2021

    Imports: Orange imports In MY 2021/22 are expected to stagnate at 43,000 MT, as realized in MY 2020/21. Turkey imported 43,628 MT of oranges in MY 2020/21, and 98 percent of the orange imports came from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Turkey`s orange imports depend on the low production, climate change and dispersion of production with small size orchards. Read the full report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • Costa Rican Orange Production and Exports Expected to Rebound in 2022 Despite Battle with HLB

    After overcoming COVID-related labor and supply chain disruptions, Costa Rica’s orange production is expected to rebound to 300,000 metric tons in 2022, pushing total orange juice exports slightly higher to 33,000 metric tons. Despite some success in mitigating the worst impacts of citrus greening, the disease is expected to limit near-term prospects for Costa Rican industry growth.

    Commercial orange production is concentrated in the northern part of Alajuela province (around Los Chiles, Guatuso, and Upala) and in the northern part of Guanacaste province (near the border with Nicaragua in an area known as Santa Cecilia).

    Figure 1. Map of Costa Rican Growing Area (highlighted in red)

    Two companies, TicoFrut and Del Oro, control most of the production and practically all processing of oranges in the country. TicoFrut is the largest company in the sector. TicoFrut’s plantations are located primarily in the province of Alajuela (near the border with Nicaragua) and in Nicaragua. Oranges from the Nicaraguan plantations are trucked across the border in Los Chiles for processing at TicoFrut’s plant located in Muelle, San Carlos, about 50 miles to the south of the border. Del Oro’s plantations are in the province of Guanacaste, near the border with Nicaragua. Oranges are also grown in other regions of the country including Acosta (near the Central Valley) and Nandayure in Guanacaste. However, oranges from those areas are mostly sold as fresh fruit in the local market.

    There are also some medium and small size independent producers near the areas where the two processing plants are located. While the larger operations have been stable and plan their activities with a longer-term view, the smaller independent producers tend to supply the processing market (rather than selling into the fresh fruit market) in response to short-term price fluctuations. Smaller producers have also been exiting orange production altogether over time as orange yields and orange prices have made other activities more attractive.

    Harvest is mainly from January to May, with peak production in March and April. The vast majority of commercial oranges are processed for juice concentrate for the export market. A relatively small volume of fresh fruit is sold for local consumption, and processing plants also sell small volumes of juice to local food processors for branded products and for further processing.

    TicoFrut has orange plantations in Nicaragua, near the border. Growing conditions are favorable in that area, and land prices and labor costs are generally lower. Costa Rican processors have partnered with Nicaraguan businesses to plant orange groves in Nicaragua for processing in Costa Rica. According to data from the Government of Costa Rica, the country imported 69,800 metric tons (MT) of fresh oranges from Nicaragua in 2020, compared to 56,644 MT during 2019. Imports from Nicaragua during 2021 reached 66,444 MT through October.

    Within orange area planted, farmers are gradually increasing the number of trees per hectare by using the “Flying Dragon” pattern, which supports higher tree density, easier farm management, and lower costs per hectare. This innovation has allowed farmers to significantly increase tree density, moving up from 300 – 450 trees/ha under traditional planting patterns to 800 to 900 trees/ha with the Flying Dragon. FAS/San José anticipates major growers to direct investments toward replanting existing area with new trees and new patterns, rather than increasing area planted, in the near- to medium-term.  Local industry estimates area planted at around 21,000 hectares (ha) and 7.4 million orange trees, including the area planted on the Nicaraguan side of the border. With reports of reductions in area planted to oranges – as citrus greening disease changes yields and profitability calculations – FAS/San José expects area planted to remain flat or decline slightly in 2022 as the effects of citrus greening persist and as major growers concentrate on improvements to current production areas through replanting and irrigation investments.

    Citrus greening disease was first identified in Costa Rica in 2011 and remains a major concern for producers. Citrus greening is reportedly endemic throughout most of the country’s growing areas, increasing costs, decreasing yields, adding uncertainty to future production plans, and limiting growth of production area and volumes. The largest farms have had some success mitigating the effects of the disease by establishing strict controls, including constant farm surveillance, inspection of all farms, and eradication of 100 percent of affected plants. Better capitalized producers use agrochemicals and biological controls (a wasp, called tamarixia radiata, that feeds on the vector of the disease) as part of their preventive measures. The disease has reportedly caused production area to be reduced or abandoned, but FAS/San José has not been able to confirm the extent. Smaller producers, less capable of and less likely to invest in agrochemicals and biological controls, have reportedly suffered heavier losses.

    FAS/San José forecasts total production to increase by 3 percent to 300,000 MT in MY 2021/2022. The largest farms have stabilized production levels through consistent citrus greening management over the last few years, resulting in smaller overall production fluctuations. In 2020/2021, the sector benefited from a more predictable, formalized government migration process for temporary laborers during the pandemic. Securing imported labor supplies was crucial not only for the 2021 harvest, but also for agricultural management practices earlier in the growth cycle (e.g., during flowering) that require imported labor. According to industry sources, fuel and fertilizer costs have increased approximately 30 percent in 2021, adding to the not insignificant additional costs of managing citrus greening – agrochemicals, integrated pest management, and eradication of affected plants.

    Costa Rica exports most of its orange production as frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ); single strength fresh orange juice exports represent less than 25 percent of total export volume. According to information from the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Board (PROCOMER), calendar year 2020 juice exports to all destinations amounted to 21,800 MT (valued at $34.6 million), down considerably from 32,897 MT (valued at $50 million) in 2019. Trade data through October 2021 show total exports rebounding to 30,819 MT and $42.9 million, respectively.

    FAS/San José expects 2021/22 total exports to increase slightly to 33,000 MT. The United States continues to be Costa Rica’s leading destination for orange juice exports in 2021. Total exports to the United States through October 2021 were 16,582 MT (valued at $31.1 million), already surpassing the 13,177 MT (valued at $26.9 million) shipped to the United States in 2020. Costa Rican orange juice enters the United States duty free under the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement. — By Victor Gonzalez, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service