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Department of Agriculture Projects Florida Citrus Crop to be 161 Million Boxes This Season

By  //  November 13, 2018

USDA forecast represents a 3% decrease in orange production compared to last season

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its second citrus crop forecast for the 2018-2019 season, projecting 77 million boxes of oranges and 84.6 million boxes of citrus in total. “Florida’s iconic citrus industry continues to recover and our growers are resilient,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its second citrus crop forecast for the 2018-2019 season, projecting 77 million boxes of oranges and 84.6 million boxes of citrus in total.

Compared to the October 2018 USDA forecast, this estimate represents a 3 percent decrease in orange production and a 4 percent decrease in grapefruit production. However, the overall production remains well above the 49.58 million boxes of citrus harvested last season.

“Florida’s iconic citrus industry continues to recover and our growers are resilient,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam.

“We’ll continue to support the industry, as it rebuilds after Hurricane Irma and continues to battle citrus greening,”

The peak of citrus production was 244 million boxes during the 1997-98 season.

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Compared to the October 2018 USDA forecast, this estimate represents a 3 percent decrease in orange production and a 4 percent decrease in grapefruit production. However, the overall production remains well above the 49.58 million boxes of citrus harvested last season.

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