The November Florida Citrus Forecast drops again.

 

The first Florida Citrus Forecast of the season put Florida’s citrus totals for the 2017-2018 season at 54 million boxes, a 21 percent drop from the end of the 2017-2016 season. While it was a drastic drop, many in the industry felt it was not an accurate forecast, given the devastation Hurricane Irma wreaked on Florida citrus and much of The Sunshine State’s agriculture industry. Consequently, the November Florida Citrus Forecast resulted in another drop as expected, see the details below.

The Details of the November Florida Citrus Forecast

 

The latest forecast from the USDA predicts 50 million boxes of citrus, a drop of 27 percent over the 2016-2017 season, according to a Growing Produce article. The orange forecast was broken into the following:

  • 21 million for early and mid-season varieties
  • 29 million for Valencia

Grapefruit also fell, going down another 250,000 boxes from the first forecast in October to a predicted 4.65 million boxes.

Reactions to the November Florida Citrus Forecast

 

Ag Commissioner Adam Putnam maintained the number reflected the damage caused by the storm, and promised to continue to look for relief for Florida citrus growers. He said, “Today’s lowered forecast shows that the damage to Florida citrus from Hurricane Irma is still unfolding, and it will continue to for some time. Florida’s growers need support and they need it fast. I will continue to work with Governor Scott and leaders in Washington to get Florida’s growers the support and relief they need to rebuild as quickly as possible.”

Growers will be closely watching the next forecast, December 12th.

Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.