The 2020-21 citrus growing season fell short of earlier expectations, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said yesterday that Florida growers produced 52.8 million boxes of oranges. The original projection for the season — made back in October — pegged Florida’s yearly production at around 57 million boxes. As winter progressed, those projections steadily dropped. The yearly yield fell more than 4 million boxes short of that original estimate.
The 2020-21 yield is down nearly 22% from the previous year, when 67.4 million boxes were produced in the 2019-20 season. That number was also a drop from the 2018-19 season, when 71.85 million boxes were produced. This year’s mark is the lowest since the 2017-18 season, which saw just over 45 million boxes produced as citrus farmers recovered from Hurricane Irma’s impact.
As reported on floridapolitics.com¸ production of non-valencia oranges dropped by more than 23% from the 2019-20 season to the 2020-21 season. Production of valencia oranges dropped by just under 21% in the same span.
As state citrus-marketing efforts ratchet up, Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Steve Johnson focused on the future. Fox13news.com quoted Johnson as saying: “Next season’s crop is on the trees and the conditions in the groves are encouraging. With the support of state leaders who believe in Florida Citrus and recognize the important role this industry plays in our state, we head into the new season optimistic about the future.”
Florida growers have struggled for years against residential and commercial development, foreign imports, changes in beverage consumption habits and, since 2005, citrus greening, an incurable bacterial disease. But the commission, noting that the industry continues to support more than 33,300 jobs and provides a $6.76 billion annual economic impact to the state, is trying to capitalize on a reported increase in demand for orange juice during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.