Citrus has been making its way north in recent years. So far, growers in North Florida and Georgia have had success producing the crop, with only minor incursions of HLB, the disease that has been devastating in Florida’s traditional citrus production areas.
Juan Carlos Melgar said there is good niche market potential for locally grown citrus in South Carolina, but freezes are a concern. The Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, held in Savannah earlier this month, included a citrus program for growers interested in trying the crop in these new areas. The event was soon after the Christmas freeze, so much of the discussion focused on the cold’s impact on trees planted further north.
Read the full article on citrusindustry.net.