California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Korea Remains a Steady Market for California Citrus

    Korea’s total citrus production for Marketing Year (MY) 2020/21 (October – September) is projected to reach 660,000 metric tons (MT). This 4.5 percent increase over MY 2019/20 volume is attributed to a larger open- field “Unshu” orange crop forecasted in the northern Jeju island growing region. Korea’s 2020/21 citrus consumption is projected to increase 2.9 percent to 567,000 MT due to increased marketing of quality citrus, and a 15 to 20 percent drop in availability of competing domestic fruit. Similar to last year’s trade, Korean fresh orange imports (primarily sourced from the United States) are forecast at 115,000 MT for MY 2020/21. Read the full report from the USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • Egypt Maintains its Position as the World Leading Orange Exporter

    In marketing year (MY) 2020/21, FAS Cairo forecasts fresh orange exports to reach 1.5 million metric tons (MMT) up from 1.37 MMT in MY 2019/20. Post attributes the increase in exports to higher production amid favorable weather conditions. Saudi Arabia, Russia, the Netherlands, China, and United Arab Emirates are likely to remain Egypt’s top export destinations for oranges. Recent export destinations for Egyptian oranges include New Zealand, Japan, and Brazil. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a reduction in MY 2019/20 orange exports by 343,000 MT compared to the previous marketing year.

    Planted Area:

    In MY 2020/21, FAS Cairo forecasts total planted area in oranges at 168,000 hectares (ha), similar to the previous marketing year. MY 2019/20 planted area at 168,000 ha remains unchanged from the USDA official estimate. Most of the area planted with oranges is located in reclaimed lands which account for 60 percent of the total area. Plantations in the Nile Delta region account for 40 percent of the total orange planted area.

    Post estimates MY 2020/21 total harvested area at 145,000 ha, a 3.57 percent increase over last year. The increase in area harvested is attributed to a 7 percent increase in the number of bearing trees from the previous year in addition to favorable weather conditions during flowering time that positively impacted the flowering of the trees and hence the harvest as a result.

    Production:

    In MY 2020/21, FAS Cairo forecasts orange production to increase by 6.2 percent, or 200,000 MT to 3.4 MMT. Post attributes the increase in production to increase in harvested area and favorable weather conditions during the flowering time. Post is also revising the MY 2019/20 estimate upwards by 200,000 MT to 3.2 MMT from the USDA official projection of 3.0 MMT. We attribute the increase in production to higher yields on commercial farms.

    During the past couple of years, there has been an ongoing effort by the government, private associations and growers to replace old orchards with newer trees, improve on-farm irrigation techniques, adopting up-to date nutrient management programs, and reducing post-harvest losses.

    Orange is the major citrus species crop in Egypt, representing about 80 percent of the total cultivated citrus area. Egypt’s main orange varieties include the following:

    Washington Navel Orange: Washington Navel is the key cultivar navel orange grown in Egypt and the best-known naval orange being exported. There are other lesser known navel orange cultivars such as Navelate, Cara Cara, New Hall, Navelina, Fisher, Leng, Fukumoto and Lane late. Fruit color break starts in late September and ripening fruit dates extends from November to March. The fruit is seedless, medium to large-sized, with relatively rough skin in some cultivar and soft skin in others. It has a sweet flavor with a fruit taste. The rind is orange with dark pulp.

    Valencia Orange: Valencia ranks second after Navel oranges as far as area cultivated. Nubaria district is considered the largest production area for Valencia oranges in Egypt. Valencias have a long ripening season from March to July. The fruit pulp is juicy, it is medium to large-sized with round to oval shape. The skin is soft and easily peeled, the seeds are small, and the rind and flesh are orange.

    Other Varieties: There are other orange varieties like Baladi orange, Blood orange, Khalily orange, Yafawy oranges and Sweet orange. Cultivated areas of these varieties are small compared to Navel and Valencia orange, and they’re mainly consumed fresh or as juice.

    Consumption:

    In MY 2020/21, FAS Cairo forecasts that fresh oranges domestic consumption will increase by 4 percent to reach 1.55 MMT. Increase in local consumption is attributed to higher production, and increased utilization of fresh oranges by consumers amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to its high content of vitamin C. In MY 2020/21, utilization of oranges by the processing sector is forecast to grow by 4.4 percent from the previous marketing year as a result of the pandemic.

    Post is revising the MY 2019/20 fresh domestic consumption estimate upwards by 290,000 MT to 1.49 MMT from the USDA official projection of 1.2 MMT. We attribute the increase in consumption to higher demand by consumers amid the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in orange processing – from 300,000 MT to 335,000 MT – due to increased demand for orange juice.

    The majority of orange exporters are producers and own packing facilities that are approved for export by the government. They also buy from local farmers if their production is not sufficient to meet their export obligations. Other exporters own packing facilities but do not produce oranges, and thus rely on local farmers. In these cases, the exporters are responsible for transporting the crop to their packing facilities.

    Trade:

    In MY 2020/21, FAS Cairo forecasts total exports to increase by 125,000 MT to reach 1.5 MMT. FAS Cairo attributes this increase to an anticipated higher production which will affect the export volume. Post is revising downward the estimates of fresh orange exports in MY 2019/20 to 1.37 MMT, compared to 1.7 MMT in MY 2018/19 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Central Administration for Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (MALR) announced the beginning of the orange export season on December 1, 2020 for the MY 2020/21. The export season for oranges usually starts with shipments to the Arabian Gulf followed by Russia, Ukraine, and then to the European Union and East Asia. In MY 2019/20, Egyptian orange exports reached 104 countries with Saudi Arabia, Russia, the Netherlands, China, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Oman, and Malaysia remaining as Egypt’s top ten export destinations for oranges. Post expects that the top ten export destinations in MY 2020/21 will remain unchanged from MY 2019/20.  Read the full report from the USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • Demand for Imported Citrus Softens in China

    In line with historical trends, fresh citrus production and consumption are forecast to continue upward in MY2020/21 to 35.6 MMT and 34 MMT, respectively. However, looking ahead, the rate of production growth is expected to slow as prices drop and consumer demand reaches its saturation point. Demand for imported citrus in MY2020/21 is expected to remain soft, down 25% overall from pre-COVID levels, though will return as the economy rebounds. Lower frozen concentrate orange juice imports and production show domestic industry challenges and signal consumers’ changing preferences to juices made from fresh fruits. Chinese countermeasures for COVID-19 will continue to add complication and cost to cold chain imports, including citrus. 

    Post forecasts total citrus production for marketing year (MY) 2020/21 will continue to grow because:

    • –  New trees planted 3-4 years ago start to produce more fruits.

    • –  New growing areas in various provinces.

    • –  New varieties are planted to replace the outdated ones.

    • –  Grafting and growing techniques shorten the time to bear fruits.

    • –  Increasing greenhouse planting for tangerines and mandarins.

      Despite the sustained growth, industry insiders speculate citrus production growth will slow in the next few years as the industry reaches what they believe to be the consumption saturation point.

      Prices: Overall citrus prices dropped in MY2019/20 with a larger crop. This downward pressure on prices will continue for MY2020/21 with an even larger crop forecasted. However, it is expected that the prices for premium fruits will remain high assuming the pandemic will be better controlled in MY2020/21 and Chinese consumers have stronger confidence in spending.

      The unprecedented surge and spread of COVID-19 in MY2019/20 had some key impacts on the Chinese citrus market:

    • –  The economic slowdown in 2020 made Chinese consumers more price sensitive and conservative in spending.

    • –  Major local citrus importers who purchased southern hemisphere products in early CY2020 encountered decreasing market demand and lost money, especially on imported oranges. As a result, for part of MY2019/20, they were hesitant to place further orders for imported fruits given the uncertainty of COVID-19 and challenges with trade.

    • –  Lockdowns and higher operational costs limited exports in MY2019/20, leaving more in the domestic market and creating downward pressure on prices.

    • –  Labor shortages and port backups in China and elsewhere had some negative impact on Chinese imports and exports in early CY2020.

    • –  Fewer imported fruits available in the wholesale market are leading some Chinese traders to put increasing attention on domestic fruit trade.

    • –  The disinfection measures required at Chinese ports for all cold chain food products starting in late MY2019/20 further raise the import costs.

    • –  Post believes consumers’ adoption of online and digital sales in the first half of 2020 will create lasting changes for offline retail stores.

    • –  Brand building, even in fruit, is becoming more important to attract high-end consumers.

    • –  The appreciation of the Chinese RMB in CY2019/20 will make it less expensive to import and more expensive to export possibly leaving more fruits in the domestic market. — Read the full report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • Pandemic Conditions and Growing Vegetarian Population Increases Fresh Fruit Demand in India

    India’s market year (MY) 2020/21 apple and pear production are estimated at 2.3 million metric tons (MMT) and 305,000 metric tons (MT), respectively, as unfavorable weather conditions during the flowering stage have led to reduced yields from MY 2019/20. Apple and pear imports for 2020/21 are forecast at 0.24 MMT and 22,500 MT, respectively. Table grape production is expected to marginally increase to 2.3 MMT, while Indian table grape exports are expected to decline, largely to meet domestic demand. Fresh deciduous fruit demand remains stable, and the COVID-19 pandemic that influenced consumer behavioral changes will continue to drive fruit consumption through both online and physical retail.

    Indian apple production is limited to the northern states of Jammu and Kashmir with a 70 percent market share, followed by Himachal Pradesh with 21.5-25 percent, and Uttarakhand with six percent share. The Northeastern hill states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Sikkim also produce small apple quantities. Read the full report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • Argentina Lowers Export Taxes on Many Specialty Crops

    The Government of Argentina recently announced adjustments to export taxes on many specialty crops, including apples, pears, citrus fruits, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, and alfalfa intended to improve the international competiveness of these products.

    Argentine Government Seeks to Boost Exports of Specialty Crops:

    On Thursday, December 31, 2020 the Government of Argentina published Decree 1060/2020 which made adjustments to the export tax rates for many specialty crops as well as some manufactured goods. After several rounds of export tax changes in recent years the government is attempting to standardize export tax rates for many products at 0%, 3%, 4.5%, and 9% to avoid varying export tax rates among similar products. Previous export tax changes had given some products exchange-rate linked export taxes that had eroded in value as the Argentine peso devalued against the dollar.

    The stated rationale for the policy change is to encourage exports of added-value products and products whose increased production will result in higher levels of employment, and for which increasing exports won’t raise food costs. The government also hopes to encourage investment in these same sectors. Major structural issues such as high fixed operating costs, lack of investment, and currency controls have reduced Argentine competitiveness in many specialty crops over the years, so this measure will be limited in its capacity to boost exports in the short run. Most fruits and vegetables have had export tax rates lowered from 5% to a 0%.

    The list below, by HS Code Chapter, summarizes Annex 1 of Decree 1060/2020 where information on tax rates for specific products can be found. Export tax rates for most major field crops were unchanged, though the decree mentioned the need to adjust rates for certain commodities currently regulated by an expiring decree. Care should be taken to note if a specific HS code is listed in this decree or past decrees.

    Chapter 1 – Live Horses, Cattle, Primates, Dolphins, Pet Birds – 9%;

    Chapter 2 – Beef, Horse, Poultry Meat – 9%; Sheep and Goat Meat – 0%;

    Chapter 3 – Various Fish – 9%; Tilapia, Trout, Carp – 0%;

    Chapter 4 – Fluid Milk – 9%; Ultra High Temperature Milk, Yogurt, Butter, Cheese – 4.5%; Honey – 0%;

    Chapter 5 – Semen & Embryos – 4.5%;

    Chapter 6 – Flowers and bulbs – 4.5%;

    Chapter 7 – Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Cucumbers, Chickpeas, Beans, Asparagus, Eggplant, Celery, Peppers, Spinach, Artichokes, Olives, Pumpkins, Squash, Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Onions, Mushrooms, Garlic, Vegetable Seeds – 0%;

    Chapter 8 – Nuts, Plantains, Pineapples, Avocados, Mangos, Oranges, Mandarins, Clementines, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Watermelon, Papayas, Apples, Pears, Quince, Sour Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Kiwis, Passionfruit, Persimmons – 0%;

    Chapter 9 – Coffee, Pepper, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamom, Saffron, Turmeric – 4.5%; Tea, Paprika, anise, cumin, coriander – -0%;

    Chapter 10 – “Other” Wheat, Rye, Barley, Corn, Oats, Sorghum – 12%; Grain seeds for planting, Buckwheat, Millet – 4.5%; Quinoa – 0 %

    Chapter 11 – Malt – 9%; Flaked Grains and Germs– 4.5%; Buckwheat flower – 0%

    Chapter 12 – Seeds of Soybeans, Peanuts, and Sunflowerseed for planting, Ginseng, Sugarbeets, Sugarcane – 4.5%; Hops, Alfalfa pellets – 0%

    Chapter 13 – Various Gums, Saps, & Pectins – 4.5%
    Chapter 14     – Bamboo, Vegetable Plaiting Materials – 4.5%
    Chapter 15     – Glycerol 9%; Olive oil – 0%;
    Chapter 16     – Sausages, Hams, Other Prepared & Preserved Meats, Sardines, Tuna – 4.5%

    Chapter 17 – Refined Beet & Cane Sugar, Glucose and Fructose Syrups, Non-Chocolate Confectionary – 4.5%

    Chapter 18 – Chocolate ingredients – 4.5%
    Chapter 19     – Cereals, Pastas, Tapioca, Cuscus – 4.5%

    Chapter 20 – Pickled Cucumbers & Mushrooms, Preserved fruits and vegetables – 4.5%; Preserved Peas, Olives, Tomatoes, Fruit Juices – 0%

    Chapter 21 – Coffee Extracts, Yeasts, Sauces, Food Preparations and Ingredients – 4.5%; Tea & Yerba Mate Extracts – 0%

    Chapter 22 – Mineral Waters, Beer, Champagne, Wine, Liquor, Vinegar – 4.5% Chapter 23 – Livestock Feed 12%; Pet Food – 4.5%
    Chapter 24     – Tobaccos 12%, Cigarettes & Cigars – 4.5%
    Chapter 41     – Hides, skins, and leather – 4.5%

    Chapter 51- Wool – 4.5%, Yarn – 3.0%

    Chapter 52 – Raw Cotton – 12%; Carded Cotton and cotton waste – 4.5%; Cotton thread and yarn – 3.0%

    — By Benjamin Boroughs, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • Argentina Lowers Export Taxes on Many Specialty Crops

    The Government of Argentina recently announced adjustments to export taxes on many specialty crops, including apples, pears, citrus fruits, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, and alfalfa intended to improve the international competiveness of these products.

    Argentine Government Seeks to Boost Exports of Specialty Crops:

    On Thursday, December 31, 2020 the Government of Argentina published Decree 1060/2020 which made adjustments to the export tax rates for many specialty crops as well as some manufactured goods. After several rounds of export tax changes in recent years the government is attempting to standardize export tax rates for many products at 0%, 3%, 4.5%, and 9% to avoid varying export tax rates among similar products. Previous export tax changes had given some products exchange-rate linked export taxes that had eroded in value as the Argentine peso devalued against the dollar.

    The stated rationale for the policy change is to encourage exports of added-value products and products whose increased production will result in higher levels of employment, and for which increasing exports won’t raise food costs. The government also hopes to encourage investment in these same sectors. Major structural issues such as high fixed operating costs, lack of investment, and currency controls have reduced Argentine competitiveness in many specialty crops over the years, so this measure will be limited in its capacity to boost exports in the short run. Most fruits and vegetables have had export tax rates lowered from 5% to a 0%.

    The list below, by HS Code Chapter, summarizes Annex 1 of Decree 1060/2020 where information on tax rates for specific products can be found. Export tax rates for most major field crops were unchanged, though the decree mentioned the need to adjust rates for certain commodities currently regulated by an expiring decree. Care should be taken to note if a specific HS code is listed in this decree or past decrees.

    Chapter 1 – Live Horses, Cattle, Primates, Dolphins, Pet Birds – 9%;

    Chapter 2 – Beef, Horse, Poultry Meat – 9%; Sheep and Goat Meat – 0%;

    Chapter 3 – Various Fish – 9%; Tilapia, Trout, Carp – 0%;

    Chapter 4 – Fluid Milk – 9%; Ultra High Temperature Milk, Yogurt, Butter, Cheese – 4.5%; Honey – 0%;

    Chapter 5 – Semen & Embryos – 4.5%;

    Chapter 6 – Flowers and bulbs – 4.5%;

    Chapter 7 – Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Cucumbers, Chickpeas, Beans, Asparagus, Eggplant, Celery, Peppers, Spinach, Artichokes, Olives, Pumpkins, Squash, Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Onions, Mushrooms, Garlic, Vegetable Seeds – 0%;

    Chapter 8 – Nuts, Plantains, Pineapples, Avocados, Mangos, Oranges, Mandarins, Clementines, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes, Watermelon, Papayas, Apples, Pears, Quince, Sour Cherries, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Kiwis, Passionfruit, Persimmons – 0%;

    Chapter 9 – Coffee, Pepper, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Mace, Cardamom, Saffron, Turmeric – 4.5%; Tea, Paprika, anise, cumin, coriander – -0%;

    Chapter 10 – “Other” Wheat, Rye, Barley, Corn, Oats, Sorghum – 12%; Grain seeds for planting, Buckwheat, Millet – 4.5%; Quinoa – 0 %

    Chapter 11 – Malt – 9%; Flaked Grains and Germs– 4.5%; Buckwheat flower – 0%

    Chapter 12 – Seeds of Soybeans, Peanuts, and Sunflowerseed for planting, Ginseng, Sugarbeets, Sugarcane – 4.5%; Hops, Alfalfa pellets – 0%

    Chapter 13 – Various Gums, Saps, & Pectins – 4.5%
    Chapter 14     – Bamboo, Vegetable Plaiting Materials – 4.5%
    Chapter 15     – Glycerol 9%; Olive oil – 0%;
    Chapter 16     – Sausages, Hams, Other Prepared & Preserved Meats, Sardines, Tuna – 4.5%

    Chapter 17 – Refined Beet & Cane Sugar, Glucose and Fructose Syrups, Non-Chocolate Confectionary – 4.5%

    Chapter 18 – Chocolate ingredients – 4.5%
    Chapter 19     – Cereals, Pastas, Tapioca, Cuscus – 4.5%

    Chapter 20 – Pickled Cucumbers & Mushrooms, Preserved fruits and vegetables – 4.5%; Preserved Peas, Olives, Tomatoes, Fruit Juices – 0%

    Chapter 21 – Coffee Extracts, Yeasts, Sauces, Food Preparations and Ingredients – 4.5%; Tea & Yerba Mate Extracts – 0%

    Chapter 22 – Mineral Waters, Beer, Champagne, Wine, Liquor, Vinegar – 4.5% Chapter 23 – Livestock Feed 12%; Pet Food – 4.5%
    Chapter 24     – Tobaccos 12%, Cigarettes & Cigars – 4.5%
    Chapter 41     – Hides, skins, and leather – 4.5%

    Chapter 51- Wool – 4.5%, Yarn – 3.0%

    Chapter 52 – Raw Cotton – 12%; Carded Cotton and cotton waste – 4.5%; Cotton thread and yarn – 3.0%

    — By Benjamin Boroughs, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • What Consumers Like about Fresh-Market Blackberries

    At the University of Arkansas System (UA System) Division of Agriculture, 80 consumers looked at and tasted fresh-market blackberries to help us determine attributes they liked. The consumers looked at individual blackberries and preferred oblong, large blackberries as opposed to round or small (see the figure below).

    Consumers also looked at blackberries in clamshells and preferred to purchase clamshells containing larger blackberries or clamshells without blackberries with red drupelet reversion (see the Figure below).

    Percent of consumers (n=81) that ranked clamshells of blackberries as most preferred for different size berries (A)z and different amounts of red drupelet reversion (B)y.
    z Clamshell ‘735’ had about 22 10-g to 12-g berries, and ‘916’ had about 50 4-g to 5-g berries.
    y Clamshell ‘942’ had 0% of the blackberries with red drupelet reversion, ‘516’ had about 25%, and ‘378’ had 65%.

    Consumers then tasted six UA system cultivars (Caddo, Natchez, Osage, Ouachita, Ponca, and Prime-Ark®Traveler) and liked Ponca, Osage, Caddo, and Natchez the most. Ponca (10% soluble solids and 0.8% titratable acidity) was highly rated for sweetness, overall flavor, and overall impression. Understanding what consumers like about fresh-market blackberries provides blackberry breeders and blackberry growers with information to advance retail sale. — By Renee Threlfall, Research Scientist, Dept of Food Science, University of Arkansas

  • Drink Your Peas, Please!

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist and director of the Western Regional Research Center (Albany, CA), Tara McHugh and her team in the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit are experts at solving food-manufacturing problems. Using cutting-edge processing technologies, they have helped numerous small businesses, such as Ripple Foods, turn ideas into products for the consumer.

    ARS is helping Ripple Foods optimize its current pea protein drying process to make it more efficient and to further improve its products. The company manufactures its own pea protein by processing yellow split peas into a liquid form and then isolating, purifying, and drying the protein. The pea protein is then made into non-dairy milks, protein shakes, half and half, ice cream, and other products.

    The drying step is necessary because producing this clean-tasting plant protein in a wet state comes with challenges: It’s difficult to transport, has a greater risk for microbial spoilage, and has handling issues, McHugh said.

    “It’s also expensive to ship all over the country, so we are working to optimize the drying process—looking at a way to dehydrate it so it can be rehydrated to save expenses,” she said. “The drying process also may even improve the quality and flavor of the final product.”

    Ripple Foods has a cooperative research and development agreement with ARS, which assists the company in data gathering and analysis on different aspects of its pea beverage. “Ripple’s mission is to make plant-based foods delicious,” said Aminah Johnston, a process engineer with the company. “We are always looking for ways to make our protein and products better. Our collaboration with ARS has been extremely helpful.”

    This kind of research not only supports small businesses and U.S. growers, but also reduces waste and increases consumption of healthy foods.—By Sandra Avant, formerly with USDA-ARS Office of Communications.

  • Drier La Niña Winter Conditions Can Contribute To Sudden Freezes

    California Avocado Commission — Although the California avocado growing regions are expected to experience a moderate La Niña phase with warmer average temperatures through spring 2021, the lower rainfall amounts associated with this climate phase can lead to sudden cold spells or freezes. As Dr. Ben Faber noted in a recent blog post, some of California’s most severe freezes have occurred during weak La Niña phases.

    Advection and radiation freezes pose the most threat to California avocado groves. Advection freezes are caused by the movement of arctic air into the region. Radiation freezes occur at night when clear skies and calm conditions are present that allow cold pockets of air to settle in low areas of the grove.

    To prepare for potential frosts or freezes, it’s important to remember that different prevention measures may be used for a frost versus a freeze. A frost is caused when objects cool at night and radiate their heat loss, thus chilling the surrounding air. In Southern California, warm air is typically close to the ground due to a low ceiling, thus causing a temperature inversion that protects orchards. However, windy conditions can disrupt this inversion and press cold air to the ground. In comparison, a freeze occurs when cold air moves in and the air temperature decreases at both high and low levels.

    • To prevent damage when cold weather events are in the forecast, consider the following.
    • To protect against frost or freeze, orchard heaters can be used to distribute heat. The downside of heaters is the cost of running them and possible fire hazards.
    • Wind machines should only be used in frost, not freeze, conditions and should not be used when it is windy. This economical option can be paired with orchard heaters to improve effectiveness.
    • If frost threatens and no temperature inversion is present, the best practice is to run microsprinklers during the day and turn off the water prior to sunset. If the temperature drops below freezing, restart the water and run it until sunrise. If ice forms on the fruit or leaves, heat will be released as the ice melts and protect the plants.
    • If watering the entire grove prior to a cold weather event is cost prohibitive, it is recommended that growers opt to water only those portions of their groves that tend to be coldest.

    If your grove is affected by a frost/freeze event, please view Post-freeze Avocado Grove Management on the California Avocado Commission’s website. For more complete information, visit the Commission’s online library of frost/freeze protection articles.

  • Using Satellites to Improve Sustainability, Yield

    Two of the nation’s great agricultural regions are the focus of new research that aims to head off emerging threats and improve sustainability.

    Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are joining colleagues to create and use artificial intelligence to help farmers in the Colorado River Basin and Salinas Valley, CA, improve their management of irrigation, fertilization, and pests. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture funded the University of California, Riverside-led project with a 5-year, $10 million grant.

    “This project will integrate multiple satellite and meteorological data sets to help farmers in the Southwestern United States,” said Ray Anderson, a research soil scientist with the ARS Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit in Riverside. Anderson leads the ARS portion of the study, working with ARS scientists Todd Skaggs and Andrew French.

    ARS has three primary roles in the project: To calculate project area crop water use and anomalies with crop water use across the entire region; develop tools that help growers avoid salinity damage while minimizing the leaching of fertilizer; and to gather field data to validate satellite algorithms.

    Researchers will take advantage of advanced satellite technology to provide more frequent, detailed information to farmers than ever before. The plan is to integrate high-resolution commercial satellite data with established government satellite platforms and meteorological data.

    A major advance with this work will be the use of daily, high-resolution (12-foot) satellite imagery, Anderson said. Previously, data have only been available every 1-2 weeks at 60- to 100-foot resolution and were too infrequent or coarse to provide timely and actionable information to farmers.

    “By combining the new satellite data with artificial intelligence, we will be able to discover and create tools that will help farmers pinpoint areas that need better irrigation, nutrient, and pest management,” Anderson said.

    “One of the major advantages to this project is that the outputs – recommendations and highlights on a smartphone app – will be accessible to all farmers,” he said. “Previously, farmers had to pay for aircraft and specialized processing to get this level of imagery and detail. Soon, high resolution satellite imagery, machine learning, and cloud processing will be available to smaller producers in one easy-to-use tool. These algorithms will help farmers with their field scouting so that they can catch problems early, before significant yield reductions occur.”

    Agriculture in the Colorado River Basin and Salinas Valley employs more than 500,000 people and generates roughly $12 billion annually in revenue. Farmers in the regions grow fruits and vegetables that are shipped around the country all year round, particularly in winter.

    Water availability and use top the researchers’ priority list because prolonged drought has reduced agricultural water availability in the southwestern United States.

    “These valleys consume large amounts of irrigation water, but the amount and quality of irrigation water is decreasing,” Anderson said. “It is important to use existing supplies more efficiently and to protect water sources from nutrient and salinity contamination that can come from poor irrigation management.” — By Scott Elliott, USDA-ARS Office of Communications.