Agriculture and Environment: Orange Juice

Introduction

Given that orange production is likely to expand to many parts of the world as production declines in the United States and Brazil, it will be important to work with producers and governments in those areas to minimise the overall environmental impacts of production.

Areas of steep slope should not be converted from natural habitat to orange production.

In several of the major producing countries (e.g., the United States, Brazil and Spain) production areas are most gently rolling or flat. In these countries, orange groves are rarely planted in areas with more diverse features such as steep slopes.

In the past, in fact, orange production has taken the place of other crops. However, as demand expands, some countries may be tempted to encourage citrus production in sub optimal areas that are home to a wider range of biodiversity that should be protected.

Utilise cover crops
In addition to the adoption of better practices during orchard establishment, they should also be employed during ongoing management. For example, ground cover should be maintained at all times and every effort should be made to utilise cover crops that increase both nutrients and organic matter in the soil and that reduce soil erosion.

The adoption of many, if not all, better practices is driven by efforts to cut costs in an increasingly competitive industry. Innovation is driven by economists not ethics. There is little or no room for error in many markets.

Efficient use of water
Nowhere is this more obvious than with water. Given the shortage of water in many orange-producing areas, the reduction of overall water use will also be an issue for many orange producers. In Florida, for example, orange producers are required to install and use drip irrigation.

All the water used on one Florida farm is recycled and reused. No surface water is allowed to enter the environment directly. In other farms, the goal of water management is to ensure that the quality of water leaving the farm is better than what is coming in and effluents are currently measured for levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, suspended solids, and key pesticides.