Florida’s citrus industry, already struggling, is facing a difficult season with minimal changes in the production forecast, despite the exit of a major grower. The industry is grappling with a harvest that is nearly 20 percent lower than initial projections made before Hurricane Milton struck in mid-October.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an updated forecast that maintained its previous projections for orange and grapefruit production from December, which was the first set of estimates following the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. However, the updated forecast did lower projections for specialty crops, primarily tangerines and tangelos, by about 14 percent. The hurricane’s impact continues to be felt across the industry, adding to the challenges faced by growers in Florida.
Florida’s citrus industry is facing a significant decline in the 2024-2025 harvest, with production expected to be 19.64 percent lower than pre-Hurricane Milton projections. This would also represent a 33 percent decrease compared to the 2023-2024 harvest, which was already a 94-year low, making it the lowest overall since the 1918-1919 growing season.
Matt Joyner, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, noted that the fact the numbers are “holding steady” could be seen as a positive outcome for the remainder of the season. “I anticipated that we might see another slight downward trend,” Joyner explained. “It’s not a lot better, but holding steady is a victory right now,” he added, acknowledging the ongoing challenges the industry faces.
The Florida citrus industry has been devastated in recent years by a series of hurricanes, with Hurricane Ian in 2022 and Hurricane Milton in 2023 delivering particularly severe blows. In addition to the hurricane damage, the industry has been under constant pressure from rapid residential and commercial growth, which has reduced available land for citrus groves.
The industry has also struggled with Huanglongbing, a bacterial disease known as citrus greening, which has further compounded the challenges faced by growers. These combined factors have left the industry in a prolonged period of decline, significantly impacting production levels.
