Citrus

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Tango Fruits unveiling new business strategy at Fruit Logistica

Tango Fruits, the seedless mandarin brand launched by Eurosemillas in 2014, will be presenting the business strategy for Europe for its Tango variety (registered in Spain as Tang Gold) at Fruit Logistica.

Tango Fruits, the seedless mandarin brand launched by Eurosemillas in 2014, will be presenting the business strategy for Europe for its Tango variety (registered in Spain as Tang Gold) at Fruit Logistica. The citrus fruit obtained by the University of California, Riverside, but exploited beyond the US by the Spanish firm, is already the benchmark protected late variety in California, and also in the main cultivation areas in South America and even South Africa.

The batches imported from the Southern Hemisphere offseason last summer already carried the variety’s new certification label promoted by the Spanish company. A control system is used to protect the licence holders’ rights, which includes molecular markers that enable the variety to be identified at any point in the chain from the source to the destination.

The harvests that are beginning to appear in the main citrus-producing countries in the Mediterranean basin, lead by Spain, will also be sold this year with the label. Eurosemillas has also reached an agreement with the top EU citrus operator in the European Union, AMC-Fresh (from the Antonio Muñoz Company group), to place their brand and their mandarin on the shelves of the main continental distribution companies. This alliance soon will be joined by others with leading labels. 

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US bans certain citrus imports from Morocco over medfly risk

Medfly (Ceratitis capitata) is not known to be established in the US, except for Hawaii, and would pose a serious threat to US agriculture.

Detections of live Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies) on cold-treated clementines from Morocco has led to a ban on import of tangerines, clementines, mandarins (Citrus reticulata), and sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) from that country into the US with effect from February 8, the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) has announced.

The ban will apply until APHIS and Morocco’s national plant protection organisation investigate and take “necessary actions to mitigate the pest risk.” 

APHIS said that prior to the Federal Order prohibiting such imports, tangerine, clementine, mandarin, and sweet orange fruit could be imported into the US if subjected to cold treatment and inspection upon arrival. “However, on January 13, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspections at the port of entry in Philadelphia detected live medfly larvae on commercial consignments of cold-treated clementines (Citrus reticulata) from Morocco.

Image of medfly (Ceratitis capitata) larva: by Daniel Feliciano, GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

The agency said it is also prohibiting “overland in-bond transit movements of tangerine, clementine, mandarin, and sweet orange fruit south of 39° latitude and west of 104° longitude in the US. These prohibitions apply to all importation and movement, including commercial and non-commercial cargo, passenger baggage, international mail, and express courier shipments.”

According to the Federal Order, medfly (Ceratitis capitata) is not known to be established in the US, except for Hawaii, and would pose a serious threat to US agriculture.

Source: APHIS Prohibits Importation of Certain Citrus Fruit from Morocco due to Mediterranean Fruit Fly

Image of a female Mediterranean fruit-fly (Ceratitis capitata).: By Alvesgaspar under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Zamora: a specialist in the handling of fresh fruit

Zamora Citrus is a producer, packer and exporter of fresh Argentine lemons.

Zamora Citrus is a producer, packer and exporter of fresh Argentine lemons, continuing the lemon production business started by the Zamora family. The company was set up in 1984 and began exporting in 1994. “Our lemon production takes place on our own farms as well as those of third parties, which together add up to more than 700 ha in the province of Tucuman,” Luciana Zamora said.

In 2009, the company introduced a treatment system that minimises the use of pesticides and chemical fertiliser. Zamora Citrus aims to become a specialist in lemon handling, taking care of the environment and social responsibility, while developing a direct and personal relationship with customers.

The latest news from the Argentinian company is the recent installation of the latest technology for preselection lines and packaging on the market. The firm’s products are sold directly to supermarkets and other retail stores in Europe, Canada, the Middle East and Russia under different brands, offering customers a product in keeping with their needs in terms of quality and calibre: San Andres, Zamora, Zamci, Canri and Miss Alicia.

The company warehouse and farms are certificated by BRC-HACCP and GLOBALG.A.P.. “We have incorporated a postharvest treatment system, which decreases the use of chemicals, as well as the LMR allowed to give the customer a more natural and healthier product,” Zamora said.

For more information: http://www.zamoracitrus.com.ar/en/home.html

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Record orange exports forecast for Australia

Australia’s citrus industry is export-oriented and has a competitive advantage in Northern Hemisphere markets such as Indonesia, China, Japan, Korea and the US.

Australia’s orange exports for 2015/16 are forecast to reach a record of 190,000 tons – up 31% on the previous season – due to increases in production and demand and lower tariffs in key markets such as Japan and China, according to a new GAIN report. The citrus industry is one of Australia’s foremost horticultural industries and the largest exporter of fresh fruit, it says.

Australia’s citrus industry is export-oriented and has a competitive advantage in Northern Hemisphere markets such as Indonesia, China (now Australia’s third-largest citrus export destination), Japan, Korea and the US. As these exports are counter-seasonal, they do not compete with locally produced fruit.

In recent years, the US has become a less important market for Australian citrus exports, which have refocused on Asia.

Last year, Australia’s newly-signed free trade agreements with China, Japan and Korea were ratified with significant benefits expected for citrus exporters which may now be more competitive with US citrus exporters into these markets, GAIN says.

Citrus imports into Australia

Australia imports fresh oranges over its summer season, when there is no domestic production. Fresh oranges are predominantly Imported from the US. Australian growers previously had a dominant share of the US market for imported out-of-season navel oranges (from May to September). Sales peaked at 30,000 tons in 2007 but have dropped to under 10,000 tons due to the strong Australian dollar and significant competition from South Africa, Chile and Peru in the US market.

Production

Australia’s 2015/16 fresh orange harvest is forecast at 455,000 metric tons, slightly above the previous year. Good seasonal conditions and improved access to water irrigation in recent years have supported production.

The main Australian orange varieties are Navel and Valencia, with the former usually sold fresh and 90% of the latter used to produce juice. In the last decade, growers have continued to switch away from Valencia oranges and towards Navel oranges and mandarins for the fresh fruit market.

source: USDA GAIN report AS1530, Australia Citrus Annual 2015, January 12, 2016

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Mandarins outperform oranges for value in US

640px-Citrus_fruits

It used to be oranges, but these days mandarins are driving growth in the value of the citrus category in the United States as consumers continue their love affair with this more compact, often seedless, and easy to peel fruit.

Though just 9.9% of the citrus volume sold, mandarins represented 36.4% of dollar sales in the US retail market for the 52 weeks to September 26, 2015, according to Nielsen data. In comparison, oranges, which form 30% of the category volume, represented a lesser share – 29.2% – of the overall spend.

Relative to the 52 weeks to September 27, 2014, the citrus category grew 8.9% in sales value (to $2.8 billion) and 8.2% in retail sales volume (to 2.2 billion eaches/units of fruit sold). Again, mandarins, with sales of $1 billion, contributed to that growth with a 22% jump in spend, outperforming oranges, which slipped 0.3% in value, to $801.4 million. There was growth of 20.3% in the number of mandarins sold, to 219.1 million, while for oranges it was a more modest rise of 5.6%, though to 666.8 million).

The only other citrus types to log much growth in retail spend apart from mandarins were lemons (+13.5%) and, to a lesser extent, grapefruit (+0.5%), and, in volume, lemons with 5.2%. Limes also grew in volume sales, by 12.4%, overtaking oranges to reach a total sold of 667.4 million, but in value dropped 2.8% to $261 million.


 

Both tangerines and specialty fruits took a tumble in value and volume, of the order of 7.3% and 8.9% relatively for tangerines and over 15% in both cases for specialty fruits.

Source of all data: Nielsen
‘Citrus fruits’ image by Scott Bauer, USDA. Image released by the Agricultural Research Service. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons

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South Africa’s 2015/16 citrus outlook

South Africa’s citrus production will remain flat at 2.63 million tons in 2015/16 MY, predicts the latest USDA GAIN South Africa Citrus Supply and Demand report.

South Africa’s citrus production will remain flat at 2.63 million tons in 2015/16 MY, predicts the latest USDA GAIN South Africa Citrus Supply and Demand report.

Increased planted area is behind an expected increase in production of grapefruit, lemons and soft citrus, growth offset in the overall citrus figures by a smaller orange crop due to a decrease in area planted and the impact of hail damage in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, the report says.

Citrus Black Spot

South Africa still faces challenges in the EU due to that market’s stringent Citrus Black Spot (CBS) requirements. Also causing concern has been drought due to the El Nino in the Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo and Northern Cape, though its impact on citrus production was estimated as minimal (at time of the report) due to the availability of irrigation water. Concerns remained, however, that it would result in smaller fruit sizes.

2015/16 marketing year forecasts for South African citrus from USDA post

Grapefruit
Production to increase marginally by 1% to 405,000 tons in the 2015/16 MY, based on the increase in area planted. Star Ruby is the most planted grapefruit variety due to its high global demand.
Exports will also increase marginally by 1% to 224,000 tons based on the increase in production and the weak rand exchange rate.

Oranges
Production to decrease marginally by 1% to 1.69 billion tons based on the impact of hail which affected the Hoedspruit, Limpopo producing region. Producers prefer Valencia oranges over Navels as Valencias have a longer shelf life and produce more yields than Navels.    
Orange exports of oranges to decline 4% to 1.15 billion tons based on the lower production and uncertainty over exports to the EU due to ongoing CBS challenges.

Mandarins/tangerines (includes clementines & satsumas)
Production to rise 3% to 205,000 tons thanks to increased planted area. Nardocott is one of the most popular soft citrus cultivars in South Africa. Industry statistics indicate that some growers have started planting the Tango cultivar, which is seedless and is still waiting to be granted its Plant Breeders Rights.
Exports of tangerines/mandarins to rise 3% to 162,000 tons, based on increased production, growing market opportunities in the Middle East and Asia, and weakening of the rand exchange rate.

Lemons & limes
Production to stay flat at 331,000 tons based on area planted and normal weather conditions.
Exports to also remain flat at 244,000 tons, based on the available production. However, mainly due to growth in the Asian and Middle East markets, and the weakening rand exchange rate, South Africa’s lemon/lime exports have risen from 219,617 tons in 2013/14.

Distribution of Citrus Production by Area

Source: USDA GAIN report: South Africa Citrus Supply and Demand Report published December 10, 2015

Aerial view of the Limpopo River: By TSGT CARY HUMPHRIES [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Morocco’s citrus exports on the rise

The USDA post in Morocco forecasts a 5% upturn on the previous year for the country’s orange production for a total of 918,120 tons from a planted area of about 55,804 ha. It anticipates orange exports of about 135,000 tons.

Rejuvenation of citrus orchards, improved irrigation, and increases in harvested areas are big factors in expected increases in Morocco’s citrus output and exports for the 2015/16 marketing year.

And the country’s citrus exports are also set to rise, mostly due to high demand in Russia market, as tensions mount between Moscow and Ankara, the USDA says in its 2015 Morocco Citrus Annual Report.

“The Moroccan citrus industry is planning to continue its strong focus on the Russian market this season, but warns coordination will be needed to avoid poor prices,” the report says.

The USDA post in Morocco forecasts a 5% upturn on the previous year for the country’s orange production for a total of 918,120 tons from a planted area of about 55,804 ha. It anticipates orange exports of about 135,000 tons.

Tangerine/mandarin exports are in line for a 10% boost to about 380,800 tons on the back of a 5% production increase to 1,055,241 tons from 62,181 ha.

Exports of lemons and limes should come in at about 7,200 tons. Morocco’s lemon and lime production is forecast to expand 8% to 35,500 tons on a planted area of 3,750 ha.

Source: USDA GAIN 2015 Morocco Citrus Annual Report

Image of box of Maroc brand clementines sold in Canada: “يوسفي مغربي” by عمرو بن كلثوم – Own work. Licensed under LGPL via Commons

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EU says will review CBS situation before next citrus export season

The European Commission, together with Member States, says it will review the situation with citrus black spot CBS interceptions well before the next export season and non-EU countries with recurrent interceptions will be approached on how to comply better with the EU requirements.

The European Commission says, together with Member States, it will review the situation with citrus black spot (CBS) interceptions well before the next export season. Non-EU countries with recurrent interceptions will be approached on how to comply better with the EU requirements. Furthermore, specific audits to evaluate the system of official controls and certification of citrus fruit for export to the EU are planned by the Food and Veterinary Office in 2016, including to South Africa and Argentina.

This is among the information provided on behalf of the Commission by EU Chief for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis. He was responding to a written question in the European Parliament from Spanish MEP Clara Aguilera García (S&D). Aguilera had raised concerns about cases of the disease in citrus imports from South Africa and Argentina, asking how the Commission planned to prevent CBS spreading to the EU.

Andriukaitis said due to the recurrent number of interceptions of this pest on citrus fruit from South Africa during the 2015 import season, the possible need to revise Decision 2014/422/EU was discussed with Member States. “They agreed to maintain the current emergency measures requesting an increased vigilance to South Africa for the 2015 season.

“From 9 October onwards, South African authorities have unilaterally decided to ban the export to the Union of citrus fruit originating in areas where Phyllosticta citricarpa is present. Finally, the number of import interceptions from South Africa has decreased in 2015 compared to previous years,” he said.

He went on to say the situation would be reviewed before the next export season.

Image: By Cesar Calderon (USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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The Russian embargo and Turkey’s fruit and vegetable exports

In 2014, 43% of all the volume of tomatoes exported from Turkey went to Russia (336,000 tons).

Since January 2015, Turkey had exported to Russia food valued at $1 billion, or 4% of all Russia’s food imports, according to Russian Customs statistics.

The leading export products were tomatoes (292,800 t) and citrus fruit. Russia also imported grapes (68,000 t), peaches (26,000 t), apricots (28,800 t) and other fruit.

During the fruit season, the share of some Turkish products (for example, citrus) reached 50%.

In 2014, 43% of all the volume of tomatoes exported from Turkey went to Russia (336,000 tons).

“We can substitute Turkish tomatoes with those from Iran, Morocco, Israel, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan,” said Aleksander Tkachev, Russian Minister of Agriculture.

As for Turkish citrus fruit (250,000 tons imported in 2014), they can be substituted by ones from the RSA, Morocco, China, Argentina, Israel, Abkhazia and Georgia, he said.

It is possible that the embargo for Turkish tomatoes, in particular, will lead to price rises; however it is unlikely that the prices will be higher than last winter. In January 2015, 1 kg of tomatoes cost about $3; if it costs more, the demand will slump.

The government has ordered the Ministries of Trade and Agriculture to track price trends; and the Ministry of Agriculture to see how it can support Russian producers.

At the same time, the embargo does not extend to some specific products, such as lemons, lettuce, figs, etc.

NB

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Wonderful Citrus plans to ship more Mexican lime, Texas grapefruit to Europe

As the Florida industry continues to decline due to serious pest/disease pressure Wonderful Citrus hopes to expand the presence of Texas in Europe.

Wonderful Citrus has regular shipments to Europe of three citrus varieties:

  • Mexican limes,
  • Texas deep red grapefruit. and
  • California minneola tangelos. 

“We are the largest grower of minneolas in California and we have been supplying the Dutch market for nearly 10 years,” said Scott Owens, VP sales and marketing.

Most minneolas are consumed in Holland rather than being re-exported.

“Both Mexican limes and Texas deep red grapefruit are relatively new to our citrus portfolio but we believe we can find success in Europe. In 2015 we began trial shipments of Mexican limes to understand the market requirements and prepare for future increases in our production base. We have been sending small volumes of our deep red Texas grapefruit to Europe for several years in order to expose customers to the merits of Texas grapefruit.” 

Texas indeed produces a sub-tropical grapefruit similar to Florida, not as pretty on the outside but with excellent internal characteristics. More than 30 years ago Texas had a good following in Europe but was replaced by Florida. As the Florida industry continues to decline due to serious pest/disease pressure, Wonderful Citrus hopes to expand the presence of Texas in Europe.