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| 1. When is orange season? |
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| Orange season is from October to June. |
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| 2. Are orange fruits available outside orange season? |
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| YES, there will be irregular flushing which leads to bearing of orange fruits outside of orange season. |
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| 3. What are the other citrus farms in Jamaica? |
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| Other major citrus farms in Jamaica are; Comfort Hall/ Manchester, Good Hope/ Trelawny, Montpelier/ St. James, Trout Hall and Lucky Valley/Clarendon, Pemberton Valley/ St. Mary and Cambria and Spring Vale/ St. Catherine. |
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| 4. How many acres of Citrus are there in Jamaica? |
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| There are approximately 22,000 acres shared among 5260 farmers. |
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| 5. Who is the largest citrus farmer and where is the farm located? |
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| Trade Winds Citrus Limited at 2700 acres located in St. Catherine. |
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| 6. Is citrus grown from seeds? |
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| No, citrus plants are propagated, not from a seeds but by grafting or budding. The plant is made up of 2 parts, the scion at the top, which gives the desired fruit, and the root stock which is in the soil. |
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| 7. What are the varieties of citrus grown by Trade Winds Citrus Limited? |
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SWEET ORANGES: Pineapple, Parson Brown, Navels and Valencia
ORTANIQUES
LIMES: Bears lime
GRAPEFRUITS |
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| 8. What other varieties are in Jamaica? |
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| Tangerine, Tangelo (Ugly), West Indian Lime, Villa franca lemon. |
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| 9. What factors are considered when deciding where to plant citrus? |
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| Citrus grows best in clay loam soils at a temperature range of 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit with an average rainfall of 60 to 65 inches per year. Citrus trees do not like “wet feet” so well drained, gently sloping lands are best suited. The Bog Walk area satisfies all these requirements. |
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| 10. On the farms, do you have problems with pests and diseases? If so, please name the most common? |
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| The major disease is Citrus Greening (Huanglongbing or HLB). This disease is caused by a bacteria (CandidatusLiberibacter asiaticus) that is transmitted by the vector, the asian citrus psyllid. There are also slugs, snails, leaf miners, scales, fiddler beetles, ants, caterpillars, mites, brown citrus aphid which transmits citrus tristeza virus(CTV), gummosis and footrot. |
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| 11. When is citrus planted? |
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| April through October (rainy months). |
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| 12. When is citrus harvested? |
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| October to December for early varieties (Pineapple, Parson Brown, Hamlin), January to June for later varieties (Valencia and Ortanique). |
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| 13. How is citrus harvested for export/fresh fruit sales? |
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| Citrus is harvested manually by groups of seasonal workers. Fruit is then placed in boxes which are packed into trucks and taken to the factory. |
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| 14. What are some of the cultural practices for growing citrus? |
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1. Fertilizing (granular and foliar)
2. Weed Control – Mechanical & Chemical
3. Pest and disease control
4. Watering – particularly new plants |
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