+33 680 38 14 46
Florida citrus industry - citrus greening peril
United States
Sunday 04 November 2007
Infected by the spit of a gnat-sized insect and condemned by a scarlet letter X, another citrus tree is 'pushed.' In Florida, in a single grove, 300 trees will be clipped and burned, with the whole citrus industry under attack from citrus greening.
The state's canker eradication program has so far destroyed 865,000 residential trees in South Florida and elsewhere, and 15.6 million commercial and nursery trees.
Battling and evolving as it confronts disease and development, globalization and dehydration, periodic freezes and serial hurricanes, the Florida citrus industry still remains a US$9 billion industry, and one of the most lucrative crops grown in a state largely propelled into existence by oranges and grapefruit.
Yet as another harvest begins, it is a huge struggle. Florida is the world's third leading producer of citrus -- behind only Brazil and China. But survival requires persistence, creativity, cooperation -- and pure luck.
For more than a decade, canker stood at the top of the worry list. Now, although canker is more widespread, the industry is moderating its assessment of the threat.
'Greening is Florida’s top problem right now, and the challenge is compounded when growers abandon a grove or a homeowner ignores early evidence of tree sickness. In both cases, disease can spread swiftly to productive groves.
Commercial acreage is down from 941,000 in 1970, to 832,000 in 2001 and 621,000 in 2007, but 621,000 acres, the equivalent of 970 square miles, is not insignificant, and in the world of commodities, less supply nearly always means higher prices, so although acreage plummeted 22% between 2004 and 2005, the value of Florida's more scarce citrus crop increased 14% to US$1.02 billion. In 2006 sales rose to US$1.36 billion.
The state's canker eradication program has so far destroyed 865,000 residential trees in South Florida and elsewhere, and 15.6 million commercial and nursery trees.
Battling and evolving as it confronts disease and development, globalization and dehydration, periodic freezes and serial hurricanes, the Florida citrus industry still remains a US$9 billion industry, and one of the most lucrative crops grown in a state largely propelled into existence by oranges and grapefruit.
Yet as another harvest begins, it is a huge struggle. Florida is the world's third leading producer of citrus -- behind only Brazil and China. But survival requires persistence, creativity, cooperation -- and pure luck.
For more than a decade, canker stood at the top of the worry list. Now, although canker is more widespread, the industry is moderating its assessment of the threat.
'Greening is Florida’s top problem right now, and the challenge is compounded when growers abandon a grove or a homeowner ignores early evidence of tree sickness. In both cases, disease can spread swiftly to productive groves.
Commercial acreage is down from 941,000 in 1970, to 832,000 in 2001 and 621,000 in 2007, but 621,000 acres, the equivalent of 970 square miles, is not insignificant, and in the world of commodities, less supply nearly always means higher prices, so although acreage plummeted 22% between 2004 and 2005, the value of Florida's more scarce citrus crop increased 14% to US$1.02 billion. In 2006 sales rose to US$1.36 billion.
