Forecast: 2.5% drop in orange crop

According to a release, the USDA blamed the reduced crop of 158 million boxes on smaller sizes and increased fruit drop and not the cold weather fronts that hit the state’s citrus belt in late January and early February.

 

The USDA is examining the impact of several periods where the temperature dipped below 28 degrees. Florida Citrus Mutual, a Lakeland-based growers organization, said field reports indicate a reduction in juice production because of fruit damage and lower juice yields.

 

The Florida citrus industry creates $9.3 billion in annual economic impact, employs more than 76,000 people and covers more than 576,000 acres, said the report.