This season’s Florida orange crop has increased by 3 per cent to 71m boxes, according to projections made by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the US Department of Agriculture.
The 2m box increase in oranges is a result of a higher estimate for this season’s Valencia harvest, the result of increased fruit size and a decrease in drop, according to the USDA.
Early and Mid-Season varieties stayed at 36m boxes, while the Florida grapefruit crop received a slight increase to 10.7m boxes, up from 10.5m boxes last month.
“Today’s forecast is a bright spot during a trying time for many growers,' said Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. 'We know all too well the devastating toll citrus greening continues to take on the industry but look forward to more positive reports in the future as research delivers new tools to wage the war in our groves.
“At the Department, we remain focused on supporting our growers by sharing the great taste and nutrition Florida Citrus delivers to people around the world,' she added.
The Florida citrus industry creates a US$10.8bn annual economic impact, employing nearly 62,000 people, and covering about 515,000 acres.
'We are still in a crisis situation right now in regards to battling the HLB disease although this slight increase is welcome good news,' noted Michael Sparks, executive vice-president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. 'We still continue to produce a quality crop in the face of adversity and that's a testament to the resilience of the Florida citrus grower.'
