Golden Gem Growers went bankrupt two days after the World Trade Center went down. This was six years ago, 14 Sept 2001. About 800 employees got the pink slip then. Many employees went to Silver Springs Citrus but they too are working for an enterprise which must compete with the Brazillians with their huge Orange Citrus operations. Concentrate OJ is shipped by Tanker Ships to Florida.
I wonder if there is room for a small guy to compete. The big Conglomerates like Dreyfus the french outfit have huge orchards in the thousands of acres in Brazil.
http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/004-04.htmhttp://funandsun.com/1tocf/agriculture/orangegrowers.htmlBelgium
SOURCE:
http://www.louisdreyfus.com/content.cfm?page=contacts.cfm&gbus=2&rightmenu=defaultEXCERPT:
...Louis Dreyfus Citrus is one of the world's three largest orange juice processors, which together account for over 60 percent of total production. The company's orange juice production represents more than 12 percent of worldwide production.
The company, in common with its three main competitors, has its operations center in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Because of excellent soil and climactic conditions, this is the lowest cost-producing region in the world, providing over 80 percent of the export market in orange juice concentrate.
Louis Dreyfus Citrus has two processing plants in São Paulo and two in Florida (USA). Florida is the world's second largest orange producer, accounting for 16 percent of total production. In addition to the processing plants, the company owns orange farms in São Paulo.
Farms are located in favorable orange producing regions because of their soil and weather patterns. They are also close to Louis Dreyfus Citrus' industrial plants, with an average distance of 150 kilometers (approximately 95 miles), an advantage for field surveying and fruit logistics.
Orange juice processing is a growing industry. World production has increased about 50 percent in the last 12 years, and forecasts are that it will continue to thrive in line with demand, which has been growing at annual rates of 2 to 4 percent...
Louis Dreyfus Citrus Juice Terminal
Sifferdok Kaai 1010
9000 Ghent
Belgium
T 32-9 250 9195
F 32-9 250 9198
E ldbelcitrus@louisdreyfus.com
Brazil
Louis Dreyfus Citrus
Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 1355
14° Andar
Pinheiros CEP
01451-903 Sao Paulo, SP
Brazil
T 55-11 3039 6700
T 55-11 3039 6881
F 55-11 3814 3235
E ldspocitrus@ldcorp.com.br
more info
Louis Dreyfus Commodities Brasil
Rodovia Armando de Salles Oliveira
KM 396
14700 Bebedouro-SP
Brazil
T 55 0 17 344 6000
F 55 17 344 6003
more info
Louis Dreyfus Commodities Brasil
Estrada da Fazenda, 6000
Bairro Boa Vista
15990 Matao-SP
Brazil
T 55 0 16 282 1122
F 55 0 16 282 1427
more info
France
Louis Dreyfus Citrus
87 Avenue de la Grande Armee
75782 Paris Cedex 16
France
T 33-1 45 00 20 20
F 33-1 40 66 13 33
E ldspoparcitrus@ldcorp.com.br
more info
Netherlands
Louis Dreyfus Citrus
Westblaak 92-3rd floor
Westblaakbouw
3012 KM Rotterdam
Netherlands
T 31-10 411 0480
F 31-10 413 0432
E ldrotterdam@ldcorp.com
more info
United States
Louis Dreyfus Citrus
PO Box 1980
19100 SW Warfield Boulevard
Indiantown, Florida 34956
United States
T 772 597-3511
F 772 597-2596
more info
Louis Dreyfus Citrus
20 Westport Road
Wilton, Connecticut 06897-0810
United States
T 203 761-8474
F 203 761-8482
E ldwltcitrus@louisdreyfus.com
more info
Louis Dreyfus Citrus
PO Box 770399
Winter Garden, Florida 34777-0399
United States
T 407 656-1000
F 407 656-1229
E sales@ldcitrus.com
more info