The U.S. Department of Agriculture reduced its orange crop forecast for the 2011-12 season by 2 million boxes, estimating Florida will now produce 145 million boxes.

"It's truly amazing Florida growers can once again produce such a quality crop in the face of immense challenges such as HLB, or citrus greening," Michael W. Sparks, executive vice president and chief executive officer of Florida Citrus Mutual, said in a press release. "This is a testament to the resiliency of our growers and the fact they are the best in the world, bar none."

JemD Farms’ Rosado tomato, a new Artisan Series item.

JemD’s new Artisan Series will be featured in the new prod

In the produce industry, "normal" is sometimes defined as a running average of the past three seasons. If one went by that definition, then after two unusually light and late years, the 2012 Sonora grape crop could be both early and large. But many producers and distributors involved in the Sonora grape deal taking a longer-term view see the anticipated prospects for the 2012 crop more as a return to normal.

Sun World appointed Peruvian grape specialist Agricola Don Ricardo as its first grape producer-marketer licensee in the Andean nation.

Pink Lady America announced April 10 the addition of a mobile web site and QR Code to its efforts to become more personally attached to the millions of “Pink Lady” brand apple lovers.

Combs Produce, a fresh produce solution provider for foodservice, retail and wholesale customers, unveiled April 11 its Hispanic product line named Calidad, which translates to quality.