Cold Weather Effects Florida Citrus!
Extreme cold weather conditions during the first weeks of January have taken its toll on Florida’s citrus industry. Sustained record nighttime lows of 22° – 28° Fahrenheit in the coastal and central growing areas may have lasting ramifications on the 2010 crop.
Cool weather sweetens the fruit and turns the color of the skin from green to orange. However, when the temperatures drop to 28° F for 4 or more hours, the growers rush to flood the fields with water in an attempt to insulate the tree roots.
When a cold spell hits the tropics of Florida, growers work around the clock to salvage their crop. Tools such as the University of Florida’s Weather Network provide a valuable resource for growers to monitor climatic variables.
Orchid Island Juice Company produces Award Winning GOURMET PASTEURIZED citrus juice and FRESH SQUEEZED citrus juice. FRESH SQUEEZED Juice undergoes no processing, such as pasteurization, and cannot be stored. FRESH SQUEEZED Juice is more vulnerable to environmental fluctuations.
Orchid Island Juice Company has been making FRESH SQUEEZED citrus juice for 20 years and was named the HACCP safe food program pilot plant by the FDA.
For more information on sub-freezing temps in Florida, click here.
Topics: Features, Growers | Comments Off
Comments are closed.
« Orchid Island Juice Company in the COLD! | Home | Congressman Tom Rooney at Orchid Island Juice Company »
