Citrus Packing Plants in Florida
Citrus packing companies in Florida constitute but one sector in the juggernaut that is Florida's citrus industry, working in synchrony with other players including growers, dealers and processors. Only a small percentage of the overall citrus produced in Florida is packed as whole fruit; the bulk of Florida's round oranges is sent away to be processed. In 2009, 40 certified citrus packinghouses were in operation in the state.
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Florida's Citrus Packing Sector
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A review of the Florida citrus industry in 2009 by the University of Florida found that the fresh citrus packing concerns in Florida were primarily cooperatives or large growers. That year, the top 10 packers packed half of the fresh citrus for the state. It is the packinghouse that is the direct link to the grocery stores and foreign markets, having a simultaneous sales function along with its role as packager and shipper of citrus fruit, domestically and abroad.
Citrus Screening at the Packing Plant
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Once received at the packing plant on 900 pound pallets, the fresh citrus undergoes several steps. Rotten fruit is immediately discarded, while the rest is carefully screened for canker symptoms, graded and packed. Only those that are canker-free are allowed to be exported according to European regulations. Those that exhibit canker symptoms that are not accepted by outside markets are sent for domestic consumption; additional aberrations in ripeness, size and appearance may also preclude them for the domestic market, in which case they are sent to processing plants.
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Preparation for Shipment at Citrus Plants
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Prior to selling and shipping the citrus to supermarkets or citrus fruit brokers or other countries, the packinghouse must prepare the fruit. It may air dry the fruit, apply waxes and fungicides, sort the fruit according to size and quality, pack the citrus into cartons weighing at 45 lb each, and then finally ship the fruit.
Variations in Citrus Packing at Plants in Florida
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In the Packer's Report accounting for Florida citrus shipments from August 2010 to June 2011, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services details varying amounts of citrus that packing companies can turn out. For example, some packing companies only deal with certain types of citrus, whereas others pack grapefruit, oranges as well as tangerines. In the above time period, Greene River Packing Inc. of Vero Beach, FL packed 1,435,232 boxes of grapefruit, 46,733 boxes of oranges and 22,162 boxes of tangerines. East Coast Packers in Ft. Pierce, FL boxed 800,568 boxes of grapefruit only, and Blue Ribbon Citrus Packers of Dundee, FL packaged 116,534 boxes of tangerines only.
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References
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