BARTOW, Fla – In the December forecast of the 2018-19 season, the National Agriculture Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted steady production in both the Florida Orange and Grapefruit crops over the last month. The report projects 77 million boxes of Florida Oranges and 6.4 million boxes of Florida Grapefruit.
“We are very pleased with a stable forecast at this time of year,” said Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus.
The numbers remain an increase from the previous season, devastated by Hurricane Irma, when production dropped to 44.95 million boxes of Florida Oranges and 3.88 million boxes of Florida Grapefruit.
About the Florida Department of Citrus
The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive agency of Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. Its activities are funded by a tax paid by growers on each box of citrus that moves through commercial channels. The industry employs 45,000 people, provides an annual economic impact of $8.6 billion to the state, and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues that help support Florida’s schools, roads and health care services. For more information about the Florida Department of Citrus, please visit FloridaCitrus.org.
