ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The forecast for Florida citrus, the state’s signature crop, is expected to improve in the upcoming season compared to last year when twin hurricanes battered the state at the start of the citrus season, according to estimates released Thursday.
Florida is expected to produce 20.5 million boxes of oranges during the upcoming season, up from 15.8 million boxes last season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Florida growers are expected to harvest 1.9 million boxes of grapefruit during the 2023-2024 season, which lasts through next spring, up from 1.8 million boxes last season.
The harvest was 41.2 million boxes in 2021-2022 and more than 52.9 million the season before that.
Even before the hurricanes, citrus production had been on a downward trajectory because of ongoing disease problems.
Persons:
mandarins, Hurricanes Ian, Nicole
Organizations:
U.S . Department of Agriculture, Hurricanes, Sunshine State
Locations:
ORLANDO, Fla, Florida, U.S, California