Historically, Florida has been the cornerstone of the U.S. citrus market, contributing up to 70% of the country's orange and grapefruit juice production. However, the sector has encountered severe setbacks due to citrus canker, a series of hurricanes starting in 2004, citrus greening disease, and additional hurricanes in 2024, with Hurricane Milton drastically reducing the citrus crop to its lowest volume in over a century, as reported by the USDA.
In the face of these challenges, Florida Citrus Mutual President Matt Joyner expressed optimism in June 2024, highlighting the promising health of citrus trees attributed to innovative treatments and noting an exceptionally consistent bloom. Yet, the optimism was short-lived as Hurricane Milton led to a dramatic decrease in this year's crop yield.
In response, Florida's legislative leaders are stepping up to support the beleaguered industry. Senate President Ben Albritton, who is also a citrus grower, emphasized the essential role of farm families in the state, committing to assist in the recovery process. The focus is on aiding growers to overcome the impacts of the storms, innovate in disease prevention, and achieve larger yields with reduced inputs of fertilizer, pesticide, and water. To initiate this recovery, $47 million has been allocated to the citrus sector, with nearly $18 million designated for research purposes.
Moreover, despite the broader context of budgetary constraints, there is potential for increased funding to the Florida citrus industry in the forthcoming 2025 legislative session starting in March.
Source: FOX 13