Florida’s citrus industry faces a crisis as California surpasses it in orange production. Sunshine State’s oranges primarily now fuel the juice industry, leaving few fresh oranges in Florida for local consumption.
Fla. News Network— Florida, once synonymous with orange groves and fresh citrus, is witnessing a dramatic decline in its orange industry. While California now leads the nation in orange production, Florida’s oranges are predominantly used for juice, with 90% of the state’s crop destined for processing rather than fresh consumption. In fact, it is easier to win the lottery in Florida than peal and eat a fresh Florida-grown orange nowadays.
Florida’s iconic orange groves, once spanning over 900,000 acres, have shrunk to barely 375,000 acres in 2024. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), California produced 49.6 million boxes of oranges during the 2020-2021 season, while Florida produced 40.7 million boxes. This shift in dominance is attributed to various factors, including disease, pests, and shifting market trends. A report by a nonprofit nonpartisan says Florida’s citrus industry crop is down 90% from two decades ago.