Estimates for Florida’s state's orange crop have fallen by another nine million boxes in the latest forecast released by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Already the smallest crop in 13 years after a devastating hurricane season, the USDA expects the state to produce 153 million boxes. The latest decrease is due to historically small fruit size and more fruit than normal dropping off the Floridian trees. Consumers haven't seen an increase in orange juice prices, but the price for a bag of oranges at the supermarket is up over last year.
These estimates do not affect the predicted grapefruit crop, but at 13m boxes, that is smallest crop in decades.
And growers won't know what to expect next season until citrus trees begin to bloom over the next few months. Trees damaged by the storm are still recovering from the hurricanes.
"Trees across the state went through a rough time," said Bob Barber, director of economics for Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's largest growers' association. "The big question in the spring is whether the trees will grow more leaves or more fruit."
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