Florida growers can look into these five crops to expand their operations.
Florida growers have one of the broadest range of crops available to grow of any state. There are five new crops that Florida growers should consider if they are looking for an alternative crop, to expand their operations, or to get in on the ground floor of “the next big thing,” according to a Growing Produce article. See the five crops below and a summary of their attractions for Florida growers.
New Crops for Florida Growers
These crops may soon be as popular in Florida as citrus, watermelon or sweet corn.
- Artichokes. A UF/IFAS professor is studying the viability of artichokes for Florida growers to raise as a cash crop. Artichokes are currently grown almost exclusively in California. We shared this story here.
- Hops. Another UF/IFAS professor started growing hops in his backyard to explore the crop for his own home beer-brewing hobby. It turned into full-fledged research when the hops did uncharacteristically well in Florida’s hot and humid climate. We shared an update to this story here, and the original story here.
- Pomegranates. This super fruit has long been an edible landscape plant grown in backyards. It’s in such high demand that research has been on-going for nearly a decade into overcoming the diseases and need for chill hours of pomegranates.
- Pongamia. This tree produces seeds that could give the oilseed market of soybeans a run for their money; according to the Growing Produce article, the seeds produce eight times the oil of soybeans at a fraction of the input costs, making it a much more financially attractive crop for Florida growers.
- Tea. Tea is one of the most widely-enjoyed beverages, and its health characteristics make it even more in demand. A UF/IFAS study is looking into the viability in growing tea, especially in Northern and Central Florida.
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.