B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 15 Smith explained that with agriculture there are variables a farmer cannot control. “Last year we were loaded with fruit when Hurricane Irma came in September,” Smith said. “We had to remove some of the fruit to keep the trees from being too heavy. We lost some fruit but saved the trees by not having a lot of weight on them.” While Smith and other South Georgia citrus growers experienced some loss due to the hurricane, it does not compare with Florida’s citrus devastation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a decrease in the size of the Florida citrus crop due to Hurricane Irma. The agency estimates Florida’s orange production for the 2017 to 2018 season at 45 million boxes, which represents a 35 percent decrease from last season and the lowest crop size in more than 75 years. “Even with the growth we have seen here in South Georgia the past few years, it is a drop in the bucket in replacing what Florida has lost,” said Smith, “but it does show there is a need for more citrus production.” Industry Growth On the Georgia-Florida border, Kim Jones, with Bethel Oaks Farms, started planting satsuma trees at the persuasion of his grandchildren. “I looked at planning blueberries and even olives,” said Jones, who has also farmed timber and row crops in Colquitt County. “My grandchildren love satsumas, and I wanted them to be involved.” Jones, who has approximately 2,800 satsuma trees, said patience is an essential factor in growing citrus. “I have 800 trees that are 4 years old, and they just started producing marketable fruit,” Jones said. “This winter will be the fifth year, and we should yield about 50 to 70 pounds of fruit per tree.” Jones explained that as a satsuma tree matures and reaches the seven-year mark, it will average 200 pounds of citrus. In addition to growing satsumas, Jones and his wife, Angela, opened Florida Georgia Citrus, a 12,000-square-foot packing facility that provides processing and shipping for local and regional citrus growers. “There are a lot of mature trees in North Florida and Alabama that are producing satsumas now,” Jones said. “In Georgia, most of the trees are less than 4 years old, so it will take a few years for them to reach maturity, and then this will be a big market for our area.” I have 800 trees that are four years old, and they just started producing marketable fruit. This winter will be the fifth year, and we should yield about 50 to 70 pounds of fruit per tree. - KIM JONES Contribu t e d P h o t o