Brazilians Offer Orange Juice Marketing Help

For the first time, the Brazilian citrus industry has agreed to help pay for a worldwide advertising campaign for orange juice.

Florida citrus officials made the announcement Thursday at an "orange juice summit" in Lake Alfred.

Bob Norberg, director of research for the Florida Department of Citrus, says Brazilian involvement is long-awaited good news. In the past, he says, they've been reluctant to become engaged in a generic marketing campaign.

Consumption of orange juice has declined by about 30 percent in the last ten years. Add in citrus diseases and increasing costs, and stakeholders are scrambling for ideas to save the industry.

More than 20 citrus industry economists met over two days to hash out solutions to the industry's woes. They presented their findings to about 200 growers, processors and others at the state's citrus research center.