Florida's citrus sector is entering the 2025-2026 season with 208,183 acres (84,250 ha) in production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is 24 per cent fewer acres than last year, following a 17 per cent reduction heading into the 2024-2025 season, which marked the lowest production in a century. Since 2020, acreage has declined by 75 per cent.
Production losses have been driven by citrus greening disease, hurricanes, and land development. In the past 25 years, orange production has fallen 94 per cent and grapefruit production 97 per cent. The USDA figures show accelerating land reductions: 11,149 acres (4,513 ha) lost in 2020, 12,104 (4,898 ha) in 2021, 32,046 (12,969 ha) in 2022, 43,046 (17,418 ha) in 2023, 57,551 (23,292 ha) before the 2024-2025 season, and 66,522 (26,924 ha) in the past year. Orange production now covers 183,860 acres (74,375 ha), compared with 248,208 (100,470 ha) last year, 441,628 (178,737 ha) in 2015-2016, and 665,529 (269,348 ha) in 2000-2001.
Matt Joyner, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said, "Certainly, we need some good weather years. There's no doubt about that. We cannot continue to have hurricane on top of hurricane every season and continue to move forward in any measurable manner." He noted that the industry will not return to nearly 1 million acres (404,686 ha), but could adapt with state support and "new production practices that are going to, we think, ultimately, yield more per acre, be more efficient."
Alico, Inc., one of Florida's large growers, announced it would end citrus operations after the 2024-2025 crop and transition 3,460 acres (1,400 ha) to other uses by 2026. The company is redirecting resources into land development, including the Corkscrew Grove Villages project in Collier County.
State officials continue to fund support programs. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson highlighted $250 million for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, aimed at conservation easements to keep land in agricultural use, and an extension of agricultural tax classifications for up to 10 years on actively farmed land. The 2025-2026 state budget includes $124.5 million for citrus, of which $100 million is allocated for disease-resistant trees, grove rehabilitation, and management tools.
Florida growers also gained relief as Canada lifted tariffs on U.S. oranges and orange juice. Meanwhile, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences reported that some growers are diversifying into bamboo. Michael Rogers, director of the Citrus Research and Education Center, said, "Bamboo is a good alternative crop to diversify beyond citrus. The clumping bamboos grow well in Florida, can be grown on existing grove land, and there is demand for the product."
Source: WUSF
