Remark from the Director

 Citrus is the most important fruit crop in the world with its 8.7 million hectares of growing area, 124 million tons of annual production and the largest fruit juice production. Currently, over 138 countries and regions such as China, Brazil and UAS are growing citrus. Among them, China is the largest grower. To end of 2012, citrus industry in China has reached 2.2 million hectare and 30 million tons of annual production. China is one of the most important citrus origin centers. Its over 4000 years history of citriculture and remarkable scientific and technological achievements have contributed significantly to the development of the citrus industry in the world. Citrus has already become a competitive agricultural product for China and a sustainable industry in the rural areas of southern China. It has played a significant role in the reforming of agricultural industry, increasing farmers' income and protection of the environment. 

The Citrus Research Institute (CRI) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) was founded by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in 1960 and now subordinated by both the CAAS and Southwest University. The Institute has retained the original name and is also known as the CRI of Southwest University. Along with the third crest of citrus industry development in the country, the Institute has established over 21 scientific and technological innovation platforms and one each innovation team of MOA and MOE in succession, including the National Citrus Engineering Research Center. Our research is enforced by 212 staffs, including 1 New Century National-level talent selected by "the National Hundred, Thousand and Ten Thousand Talent Project", 6 chief scientists of Industrial Technology System for Modern Agriculture (citrus) of the MOA, 11 outstanding talents of second- and third-class disciplines at the CAAS-level, 1 BAYU scholar of Chongqing, 2 scholars funded by "One Hundred Overseas Leading Scientists Attraction Project", and 28 staffs having doctoral degree. Currently, the CRI has 26 postgraduate student supervisors and 110 postgraduate students (including 14 PhD Students) and 4 post-doctoral scholars are under the supervision at the CRI. As a national scientific research organization, the CRI has played an important role in the key National Citrus Research and Development programs, the compilation and revision of national and regional citrus industry developing plans, the implementation of major and key projects and services for industry development, in particularly the CRI provided technological assistance to relief national or regional agriculture from several nature disasters. The CRI has made its great contribution to the sustainable development of the China citrus industry. 

China is entering a transformation stage from a large citrus growing country to a competitive citrus production country. We are doing our best to improve citrus industry in order to increase the yield, quality and value, and to open up the great potential of orange juice market. Meeting with a good opportunity for further development, and facing a great challenge, the CRI is striving to take advantage of its own superiorities and expertise to make even more scientific innovations and provide even better service to society, so as to create a first-class international center for scientific and technological innovation, citrus technology incubation, international cooperation and exchange, also a base for personnel training in citrus. We Will make further great contributions to advance the science and technology for citrus research and citrus industry development.

Party Secretary：Luo Yunzhong