The outlook for Florida’s citrus-growing season has remained steady from December, but that doesn’t diminish the “dire” state of the industry, according to Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.
The Florida orange-harvest forecast for the 2015-2016 growing season remains at enough to fill an estimated 69 million 90-pound boxes, the same as predicted in December by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
However, the numbers remain down from the initial October estimate of 80 million boxes, which would have been a 17 percent drop from the 96.8 million boxes filled in the prior season.
“Today’s USDA citrus crop forecast, even though unchanged, illustrates the dire state of Florida citrus,” Putnam said in a prepared statement. “Without immediate and tangible support, citrus’ place in Florida history might just become that — history.”
The forecast remains the worst since the 1963-1964 season for the industry, which has been combating a decrease of farmland and deadly citrus diseases. Putnam has asked lawmakers to invest $8.5 million to research diseases that are impacting Florida’s crops, like citrus greening.
He also has continued to push for the federal government to provide additional citrus disease research funding. Grapefruit production for the season has been downgraded from 11.5 million boxes in December to 10.8 million boxes in the January forecast.
Michael Sparks, chief executive at Lakeland-based Florida Citrus Mutual, the growers’ representative, echoed Putnam’s concern.
“Although there is no change to the size of the orange crop we are still in an extremely challenging time,” Sparks said. “That’s why it’s important we continue to pursue important game-changing measures in both Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.”
Both mentioned measures before the Legislature that would make it easier to eliminate abandoned citrus groves, which harbor citrus greening. Citrus Mutual is also pursuing changes in federal tax law to give growers a bigger financial incentive to plant on disease-free abandoned properties.
“I am dedicated to using every tool in the toolbox to save the industry, its more than $10.7 billion economic impact and the more than 64,000 jobs it supports,” Putnam said.
The Halifax Media Group contributed material to this report.