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Pick up Louisiana citrus at roadside stands and in local markets and groceries from now through the holidays.
Alan Vaughn, LSU AgCenter agent in Plaquemines Parish, the leading citrus-producing parish, said this year’s citrus crop is coming in a little ahead of schedule.
He said the discovery this summer of the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect that caused extreme concern for citrus growers, has had no economic impact on this year’s citrus crop.
The insect has been confirmed in seven parishes in south Louisiana, but the potentially destructive greening disease that it carries has only been found in two parishes – Orleans and Washington. Neither parish is known for citrus production.
What this means is Louisiana will again produce a quality crop of the most sought-after varieties of citrus.
Satisfying Satsumas
A real treat is a satsuma mandarin grown in Louisiana. Satsumas have a distinctive, sweet flavor and a loose skin that makes them easy to peel – especially for children. Early-season satsumas are usually green with a hint of yellow in the peel. Later varieties are orange. Whichever you choose, you’ll find a delightfully tasty fruit.
Washington Navel Orange
The most widely available Louisiana-grown fruit is the Washington navel orange. This seedless variety begins to ripen in November. The large Louisiana navel has a deep orange color and a thin skin. These oranges are easy to peel and really juicy.
Along with navels and satsumas, Louisiana orchards also offer lemons, grapefruit and kumquats. So enjoy the entire spectrum of Louisiana citrus throughout the season.
Louisiana Growers
Before the 2005 hurricanes, the Louisiana citrus industry included approximately 400 growers who had nearly 1,400 acres of groves. Since then, the number of growers has decreased to about 850 acres in the state, with 500 of those in Plaquemines Parish. Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes combined have about 150 acres, and there are 10 to 12 other parishes with five or fewer growers each. It takes a citrus tree four to five years to become fully productive after planting.
Most of the state’s growers are small-scale, part-time operations while a few commercial growers have many acres. Many of the smaller growers sell directly to the public through roadside stands at or near their orchards as well as from the backs of trucks parked alongside the highway. A few larger growers sell to grocery stores, where their produce is in competition with products from across the country and throughout the world.
Because of the type of produce they grow, Louisiana citrus producers’ markets are geographically limited to Louisiana and adjoining areas of Texas and Mississippi. Competing with large commercial operations in Florida, Texas, California and Mexico, the Louisiana growers depend on early harvests and sales to local consumers when they can command premium prices.
2008 Crop
Louisiana consumers will find an abundance of high quality Louisiana-grown citrus this year. Despite last year’s hurricanes, growers in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes are harvesting an excellent crop in 2008, thanks to good weather during the growing season.
Barton Joffrion, LSU AgCenter county agent in Terrebonne Parish said in the Terrebonne and Lafourche areas where Gustav made landfall on September 1, his growers have a good crop considering the damages they sustained.
“We had heavy damage to fruit and to trees in some areas,” Joffrion said, “Fruit drop was anywhere from 50-70 percent and tree damage was about 10-20 percent.”
He said in his area where the fruit did survive the storms, the quality is good and the fruit is sweet.
“We were one of the confirmed areas for the psyllid prior to the hurricanes, but the disease is still not confirmed,” he said. “We are continuing to monitor the situation and we’re following LSU AgCenter recommendations for control of the insect.
Most growers in Joffrion’s area sell through roadside stands and farmers markets. Some growers are certified by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry to sell through the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. This program provides coupons to qualified low-income seniors and WIC clients to encourage the purchase of locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and cut herbs directly from farmers at farmers markets or roadside stands.
Growers also sell through local grocery outlets, and some supplement these sales with high-quality gift baskets of navel oranges combined with other locally grown citrus, such as kumquats, grapefruit and lemons.
Farther east in Plaquemines Parish, the 2008 crop is producing fruits that are excellent quality.
“Local consumers should see plenty of fruit,” Vaughn said. “Our market will continue to be a quality market." He added that he doesn’t anticipate any dramatic changes in prices, and plenty of local fruit will be available in local markets.
LSU AgCenter research on citrus has led to better pest control and orchard management, benefiting growers and Louisiana’s economy. The research on citrus is carried out at the Hammond Research Station in Hammond and the Coastal Area Research Station near Port Sulphur.
Citrus Tips
–Look for firm, heavy fruits with smooth skins free from soft spots.
–Don’t let color be your only guide. Even skins with light green color can hide ripe fruit.
–Citrus will keep several days at room temperature or for several weeks in the refrigerator in vented plastic bags or vegetable bins.
–Small fruit can be just as juicy and sweet as larger fruit.
–Navel oranges make excellent juice, but acids make the juice bitter within four hours. Drink it fresh!
–Lemon juice frozen in ice cube trays and stored in plastic bags will provide “fresh” lemon juice for many months.
The LSU AgCenter is one of 11 institutions of higher education in the Louisiana State University System. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, it provides educational services in every parish and conducts research that contributes to the economic development of the state. The LSU AgCenter does not grant degrees nor benefit from tuition increases. The LSU AgCenter plays an integral role in supporting agricultural industries, enhancing the environment, and improving the quality of life through its 4-H youth, family and community programs.
(This AgCenter Lead was updated on Nov. 11, 2008, by Linda Benedict.)