Orange juice flowing into Manatee County, but not in the way you might think

A steady stream of tractors pulling flatbed trailers took on tons of Brazilian lumber Thursday from the Pelican Arrow, a cargo ship at Port Manatee, and hauled it to a nearby warehouse for storage.

Odds are it won’t be there long, given Florida’s population growth and explosive building boom.

Usually, the lumber moves on to retailers such as Lowe’s and The Home Deport within one to two weeks.

Imports of lumber from Brazil are expected to double at Port Manatee this year, said Carlos Buqueras, the executive director of Port Manatee.

Also expected to double are imports of Brazilian orange juice, but for different reasons.

Florida orange grove operations have been badly hurt by disease, such as citrus greening and canker, and tropical storms. Tropicana and other juice makers have had to turn to foreign imports to ensure an uninterrupted supply.

Orange juice imported at Port Manatee winds up at Tropicana plants in Bradenton and Fort Pierce and Citrosusco in Lake Wales.

Port Manatee forecasts that it will import 117.8 million gallons of Brazilian orange juice this year, compared to 48 million gallons in 2017.

Brazilian lumber imports are forecast to grow to 93,670 tons in 2018, compared to 58,047 tons in 2017.

Port Manatee, located about 10 miles north of downtown Palmetto, may often seem out of sight and out of mind for Manatee County residents, but the impact is real and significant.

An estimated 24,000 jobs are directly tied to Port Manatee, which has a $2.3 billion economic impact on the community.

On Thursday, the Manatee County Port Authority, which saw port operations suffer and whither during the Great Recession, extended Buqueras’ contract for five years and awarded him a 5 percent pay increase, bringing his annual salary to $223,000.

Port Authority members credit Buqueras with turning around port fortunes after hiring him from Port Everglades in 2011. In its most recent fiscal year, the port showed a 9 percent increase in operating revenues to $13 million, while cutting expenses by 3 percent.

Port Manatee operates as a business and receives no property tax money from Manatee County taxpayers.

During the Port Authority’s contract negotiations with Buqueras, local officials learned that other ports had sent feelers to him.

But Thursday, Vanessa Baugh, chair of the Port Authority, reported: “Carlos doesn’t want to go anywhere. He loves his job.”

Port Authority member Carol Whitmore added her appreciation.

“Carlos has taken us from the bottom. An undiversified port, and our debt ratio was in the pits. This man has done a wonderful job. I know he has been recruited by other ports. I am glad that he is staying,” Whitmore said.

One of the outreaches started by Buqueras’ team is the international trade hub, which provides support and advice to businesses seeking to build a presence in Manatee County.

On Thursday, the newest member, Juan Carlos Querol, CEO of Techostec Produccion, S.L., of Barcelona, Spain, introduced himself to Port Authority members. The company manufactures ventilated ceiling systems and other products.

Next week, trade commissioners from 10 countries, primarily from Latin America, are scheduled to meet at Port Manatee, said Ivan Mutis, CEO of GML Strategic Consultancy for New Markets, to discuss opportunities offered by the International Trade Hub.

This story was originally published February 15, 2018 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Orange juice flowing into Manatee County, but not in the way you might think."