Expansion into the juice market may unlock a profitable marketing opportunity for Georgia citrus growers. But questions remain before growers can start planning this new course of action, says Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association.
“Hamlins and perhaps some early-season Valencias would work here in Georgia,” Savelle said.
One question Georgia growers have about entering the juice market, she said, is whether juicing facilities should be added to Georgia or if oranges should be juiced elsewhere.
“It’s a lot less expensive to juice it here and send the juice to Florida or wherever it’s going,” said Savelle. “There are many factors to consider, and money is the largest one.”
An investment would require a substantial amount of capital to fund a juice extraction plant in Georgia, she said.
Many growers think a juice market is necessary since there was an overabundance of satsuma mandarins this past year in the cold-hardy citrus region. The market could not handle the number of fruit produced in South Georgia and North Florida. It led to many growers discarding much of their crop.
Citrus producer Kim Jones said something had to be done with the fruit that was being discarded. While the juice market will offer lower prices compared to the fresh market, it would provide growers with another outlet for their fruit. Savelle believes this is an opportunity that growers can capitalize on if they give it a chance.
“If you sit down and crunch the numbers, juice is very economically feasible for growers here in Georgia,” Savelle said. “Georgia can be fresh and juice.”
One of the main advantages to growing for juice is the fruit’s appearance. Since the fruit will be processed, it does not require aesthetic appeal.
By Clint Thompson