Commercial Fruit
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AP 130-2-10
2024 Fruits and Tree Nuts Outlook
1. High prices for peach producers helped a strong producer price index in the 2022–2023 crop season. The PPI is expected to stay strong in 2024.
2. Favorable prices came from production shortages, caused by bad weather in Q1 of 2023 that devasted the Georgia and South Carolina peach industries.
3. Citrus experienced the lowest production recorded in 50 years, and growers now prefer fresh market citrus instead of processed.
4. For blueberries, the newly signed memorandum to export 800 tons to the EU market will help maintain strong prices in the 2024 crop season.|
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C 1300-01
Foodborne Illnesses
Foodborne illnesses sicken approximately 48 million Americans a year and result in significant financial losses for the food industry. Outbreaks of foodborne illness have been linked to consumption of small fruit products, but growers and packers can take precautions to reduce food safety risks on their operations. This video discusses what foodborne illnesses are, what causes them, and basic steps that can be taken to ensure the production of safe fruit. This video was produced in collaboration with the Auburn Department of Horticulture.
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2021 plant disease losses, including control costs, amounted to an estimated $889 million. The value of the crops used in this estimate was approximately $7690 million, resulting in a 11.6% relative disease loss across all crops included in this summary. For most crops, the estimated values used to compute these disease losses are summarized in the UGA Center for Agribusiness & Economic Development’s “2021 Georgia Farm Gate Value Report” (AR-22-01). Some estimates for fruits, ornamentals, and turf rely on specialists’ knowledge of the industry and industry sources for information.
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C 1278
Blueberry Production
This publication covers a brief history of the development of blueberries, plus general production requirements such as varieties, chill hours, soil considerations, etc. The southern highbush blueberry is a hybrid that requires fewer chill units compared to northern highbush types, allowing the state of Florida, southern areas, and Georgia to produce fruits in the U.S. market during March, April, and May. The development of southern highbush also has allowed the production of blueberries in countries such as Mexico and Peru.
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C 1278-SP
Los Arándanos y Su Producción
El arándano alto del sur, es un híbrido que requiere pocas horas de frio—una aproximación de cuantas horas la planta requiere estar expuesta a temperaturas de entre 32 a 45 °F para romper la dormancia y empezar iniciación floral—comparado con el arándano alto del norte. Por lo que permite al estado de Florida y áreas del Sur de Georgia posicionarse en el mercado estadounidense en los meses de Marzo, Abril y Mayo, y es el que ha permitido la producción de arándanos para exportación en países como México y Perú.
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C 1274
Blanc du Bois
‘Blanc du Bois’ has made a significant contribution to wine production in southeastern regions where Pierce’s disease is prevalent. Though possessing resistance or tolerance to Pierce’s disease, Phylloxera, and powdery mildew, this cultivar is not without fault, and it does require an intensive integrated pest management (IPM) program. We cover here the major issues observed with this cultivar.
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The idea of producing your own food in a clean, controlled environment is very appealing. While dreams may be big, careful research and planning should be done prior to jumping into any farm venture. Important items such as desire, capital, feasibility, labor, demographics, and marketing all need to be considered.
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AP 130-1-04
2023 Fruits and Tree Nuts Outlook
1. The three major U.S. peach-producing states experienced a significant fall in production which cumulatively reduced our 2022 production by 15%. Since it is difficult to predict whether the weather and water shortage that contributed to the decrease in production will persist, chances are that the situation may improve in 2023, but not by much. 2. The significantly high price received by peach and orange producers was instrumental in maintaining a strong consumer price index in 2022. The producer price index is expected to stay strong in 2023. 3. In 2023, blueberry imports from Chile, Peru, and Mexico will continue to increase—domestic harvests only get into the market beginning mid-March, and total production is not enough to satisfy high domestic demand. 4. Georgia pecans will continue to dominate the tree-nut industry in the 2023 crop year and prices are expected to improve, especially if China increases it imports of U.S. pecans.
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This circular covers basic postharvest harvesting, handling and cold storage principles for fresh-market blackberries to ensure the highest possible shelf-life and quality while minimizing postharvest losses. Blackberries are harvested in Georgia from mid-May to August. Most varieties
grown in Georgia were developed by the University of Arkansas breeding program.
The blackberry varieties cultivated in Georgia are primarily intended for fresh market
sales and are harvested by hand, while machine harvesting can be used for
fruit that will be frozen.
Blackberries are a highly perishable fruit; since they lack both cuticles (protective
outer coverings) and carbohydrate resources, they have high respiration and
transpiration rates. Because of the fruits’ delicate skin, they cannot be cleaned
or cooled using water. The shelf life of blackberries is limited by high rates of
respiration, water loss, softening of the fruit, decay, and mechanical damage. To
slow down deterioration in quality, it is imperative to reduce the temperature of the
fruit as soon as possible after harvest.|