Florida is experiencing its lowest citrus crop ever. As the second-largest citrus-producing state, the decline significantly impacted the most recent orange production report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Mark Hudson from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), says Florida’s production is expected to go down by 33 percent compared to last year.
“If this current forecast is realized, it’ll be the smallest crop since 8.95 million boxes in the 1929-1930 season—back before they had irrigation,” Hudson said. “Our bearing trees are down; our fruit per tree is down; our size is small; and our drop is high—then we have Hurricane Milton come through.”
These Florida production declines contribute to the five percent drop from the October forecast.
