That has been good news for growers, who have been commanding some of the highest prices in years -- multiples of what they were just five or so years ago. The 2006-07 citrus crop continues to shrink and -- following the same rules of supply and demand -- orange juice prices continue to spike. Department of Agriculture predicted Tuesday that Florida's total orange crop would drop by 1.3 million 90-pound boxes -- the standard measure in the industry -- to 130. The Florida Citrus Mutual, the...

JOE MILLER April 11, 2007 - 1:43AM Julian Wooten cant figure out why this past weekends freezing temperatures hurt some of his strawberries and not others. They really dont have the luxury of frost protecting and freeze protecting like strawberry growers do. With the damage, there is concern that the price for homegrown fruit could increase over the next few weeks. Agriculture officials say apples, peaches and corn were damaged in the frost, which hit most of the state. Despite Wootens...

Don t expect to find too many Ohio-grown peaches at fruit stands and farm markets this summer. The cold temperatures that chilled the state this week are damaging the peach crop that began developing earlier than normal when temperatures warmed up in recent weeks. Fruit grower Mike Siegrist of the Coshocton area said he could lose nearly all of his peaches and plums if the temperature drops to 24 degrees. Peaches that are close to blooming don t have a chance when the temperature falls to...

St James', which is run by the metropolitan district council' markets team, took action 18-months ago because "refuse charges were escalating out of control" With fruit and vegetable waste now being composted, the Bradford markets team is now to tackle plastic packaging waste. Now the team is turning to stretch wrap plastic which includes pallet wrap used to secure the fruit and vegetables, delivered to the market. A further 15 tonnes of cardboard every month is recycled into half-tonne...

Not all is honey in the fields Beekeepers stung by Valley citrus growers who don't want pollinating to cause seeds in their fruit. Valley citrus growers reeling from January's devastating freeze face a mixed response from beekeepers who are coping with their own challenges, including "colony collapse disorder" in which bees disappear. Growers say it takes away from the fruit's market appeal -- and costs them money. But this season, Joel Nelsen, who heads California Citrus Mutual in Exeter,...

Turkeys have tested positive for avian flu, cold weather has ravaged fruit orchards and the state's supply of ramps is being stretched thin. Douglass said he saw projections estimating the state's fruit orchards will lose about $9 million. Those troubles, in addition to the recent pet food recall, have kept the state Department of Agriculture especially busy. State Department of Agriculture workers still are working overtime at the quarantined farm disposing of the flock and sanitizing the...

Connected to agriculture most of his life, Jacobo began working on a farm at 13, on weekends and during breaks from school. On a warm day, under a bright blue sky, Sergio Jacobo works atop a ladder in an orchard. He sells produce at farmers' markets in the Bay Area and delivers boxes to subscribers. They met a man who mentioned an almond orchard in Guinda, so that's where they went. He went on to study agriculture in college. Without thinning, the fruit stays small. Branch by branch,...

Fresh citrus tariffs of up to 50 percent would be reduced and eventually phased out, for fruit shipped during certain times of the year. Florida's crops have been short in recent years because of acreage losses to development, canker and other problems, but as harvests rebound, international markets are expected to buy more fruit, particularly grapefruit. California stands to benefit most from the tariff cuts, but "we have an opportunity to get our fair share," Sparks said. In addition to...

We request government to arrange for the packing material and transportation beforehand so that this year really becomes a memorable one," Dharamveer, another orchard owner said. The farmers say while production could cross expectations, the government should come forward to help farmers with arrangements for packaging and transport on time. Himachal's apple growers expect a bumper crop this year. Farmers say a prolonged winter and excessive snowfall during the tilling season kept the crop...