A 43% plunge in orange production in Florida is predicted by the USDA following the impact of Hurricane Idalia. Expect price increases for popular by products such as orange juice.
The USDA’s latest report, published in July, puts the state’s orange yields at 15.8 million 90 pound boxes.
Florida citrus growers have experienced many shortcomings. In 2022, Hurricane Ian brought excessive rainfall and wind damage, and the ever-present greening disease continued to stall harvests.
The industry’s resilience has been key to endure these challenges, however, this coming season’s outlook brings less-than-reassuring projections.