The citrus industry is not different from any competitive industry in that the by-products, or specialty products as we prefer to call them, can play in important role in the overall economic structure. For example, it has been estimated that the Sunkist organization in California produces and markets over 160 different products from citrus, BUT Florida processors have not developed their specialty products to the extent done in California. Probably the primary reason for this has been a continually increasing size of crop that demanded the capital for plant expansion and perhaps rightly so, as this is the tried and known source of profit. We are now reaching a declining rate of increase in the crop, and should seriously consider investment of money and even more importantly the investment of skilled talent in Development, Manufacturing and Sales to promote specialty products as California citrus processors and other industries do.
Paper published with permission.
