From the Archives: Traveling Citrus in Europe

For five weeks in 1982, Professor Mack, along with six students, toured the common markets in Europe. The goal of this adventure was to see firsthand how citrus, among other fruits, was handled and marketed in major importing hubs in Europe. They visited a total of 7 countries including England, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and France. 

While in England, they had the opportunity to see how apples were grown, produced, and sent out all over the continent. During their 4 week-long road trip across Europe, they spoke with buyers, marketers, and importers of Florida citrus specifically. They had the unique experience of seeing how these markets work behind the scenes. 

The goal of traveling to Spain was to observe the citrus growing styles and the research that was being done on citrus. Today, Spain is the leader in citrus production making up 56% of citrus production in Europe. Spain is well suited for citrus growth for a multitude of reasons, especially the climate as they have hot dry summers. However, this is paired with relatively cold winters, low humidity, and little rainfall, making irrigation a necessity. Although irrigation may be difficult, they are still able to produce large amounts of fresh fruit every year. 

This trip was not only spent learning about produce and how it is grown or marketed. Students had down time to learn more about the cultures and see historical land sites and monuments. In 1983, Mack orchestrated another tour of Europe; however, this one was not nearly as detailed as the tour the year before had been. Both tours gave students memories that most people can only dream of, and the memories they gained will hopefully last a lifetime. 

 

 

Written by Tanzy Zviitwah, Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Fellow
In partnership with Florida Southern College’s McKay Archives Center
Spring 2024

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Sources:
 

Díaz, Sergio. “Citrus Fruit: A Leading Sector Despite the Complicated Context.” CaixaBank Research, October 4, 2022. https://www.caixabankresearch.com/en/sector-analysis/agrifood/citrus-fruit-leading-sector-despite-complicated-context.

 

Mack, Thomas B. History of the Citrus Institute, Florida Southern College, 1947-1993. Lakeland, Florida: Florida Southern College, 1993.