Florida’s orange production for the current season is forecast at 12 million boxes, the lowest since 1930, after a hurricane this fall accelerated an unrelenting industry downturn.
That’s down three million boxes from an October forecast, and about 33% lower than the prior season’s output, the US Department of Agriculture said in a Tuesday report. Overall US production is forecast at 60.6 million boxes, the lowest since 1937.
The cut reflects an even dimmer situation for Florida’s citrus industry, which had been expected to produce fewer oranges even before Hurricane Milton tore through groves in mid-October. Growers have been combating a deadly citrus disease called greening that has decimated orange production, while also trying to recover from hurricanes Ian and Irma in 2022 and 2017.
Read More: Orange Growers Were Looking for a Turnaround. Then Milton Came.
More than 300,000 acres of citrus lands were affected by Hurricane Milton, according to preliminary estimates in October by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Orange juice futures rose as much as 2.1% to $5.0195 a pound on Tuesday.
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