Florida’s struggling citrus industry received another blow on Tuesday as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised its production forecast for the current season downward. The latest report projects that Florida will produce just 11.5 million boxes of oranges this season, a significant drop from the 12 million boxes forecast in January and a 23% decline from the initial October estimate. This marks yet another challenging year for an industry that was once a cornerstone of Florida’s economy.
The new forecast underscores the ongoing struggles of Florida’s citrus industry, which has been grappling with a combination of natural disasters, disease, and urban development.
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The state’s orange production has plummeted from its peak of 244 million boxes in 1998, when citrus was a thriving economic driver. This season’s projected output is also below the 17.96 million boxes produced in the 2023-2024 season, highlighting the persistent challenges facing growers.
One of the primary culprits behind the industry’s decline is citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), which has devastated groves across the state for the past two decades.
The disease, spread by an invasive insect, weakens trees and reduces fruit yield, making it difficult for growers to sustain production. In addition to citrus greening, the industry has faced hurricanes, freezes, and the encroachment of urban development on agricultural land.
Despite the grim forecast, industry leaders remain cautiously optimistic. Senate President Ben Albritton, a Republican from Wauchula and a citrus grower himself, pointed to recent research breakthroughs in combating citrus greening as a reason for hope.
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“Florida citrus is ready to come back,” Albritton said. “Even today, with the shrinking acreage, we still have a great cadre of growers out there that want to be successful.”
Matt Joyner, Executive Vice President and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, echoed Albritton’s sentiments, emphasizing the resilience of the state’s citrus growers. “What the numbers don’t reflect is the resilience and hope many multi-generational citrus growers have in the future of Florida’s citrus industry,” Joyner said in a statement. He stressed that long-term solutions will require collaboration among researchers, legislators, industry leaders, and other stakeholders.
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The USDA’s revised forecast also included declines for other citrus crops. Grapefruit production is now projected at 1.1 million boxes, down from the January estimate of 1.2 million boxes. On a slightly positive note, the forecast for specialty fruits, primarily tangerines and tangelos, increased to 350,000 boxes, up from 300,000 in the January projection.
However, these gains are small compared to the overall decline in orange and grapefruit production.
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