American Farm Bureau Federation economist Daniel Munch recently detailed concerns about the U.S. citrus industry in a report titled U.S. Citrus Production – An Uphill Battle to Survive.
Production levels by category
Since 2000, total domestic production of oranges has dropped 80%, from 300 million boxes to a projected 62 million in 2023.
Like oranges, grapefruit have seen a continuous drop in domestic production heavily linked to the weather and disease factors affecting Florida. Since 2000, domestic grapefruit production has dropped from 67 million boxes to 8 million boxes, an 88% decline.
Citrus fruits not as commonly grown in Florida have not faced the same domestic output declines. Lemon production, exclusive to California and Arizona, has hovered between 20 million and 30 million boxes since the 1980s.
Read the full article on citrusindustry.net.