Mechanical harvesting of citrus: an overview.

Abstract

Florida is the second largest producer of orange juice in the world today, second only to Brazil. However, the production costs in Florida are nearly three times the production costs in Brazil. Reducing production costs is vital to price U.S. citrus products competitively and remain profitable in the global market. Harvesting accounts for about half of the production costs in U.S. citrus production, so mechanical harvesting could reduce costs by increasing the rate of harvest, and thereby increase profits for Florida growers. Mechanical harvesting research for citrus began in the 1950s to address the inadequate availability of labor. This research has been led by the Florida Department of Citrus, the USDA, and the University of Florida.