Read industry responses to the first Florida Citrus Forecast for the 2021-2022 season issued by the USDA in early October.
Citrus growers were mostly positive about the outlook for Florida citrus going into the 2021-2022 season, but the first Florida Citrus Forecast put out by the USDA in early October seemed to be much lower than what most growers were expecting. The 2020-2021 season saw a total of 52.8 million boxes, so the first forecast of 47 million boxes of citrus—19 million early, mid varieties and 28 million Valencia—seemed lower than expectations; it’s 11 percent lower than last year. See industry responses from a Citrus Industry article concerning the first USDA Citrus Forecast for Florida citrus below.
Responses to the First Florida Citrus Forecast
Shannon Shepp, the Executive Director of the Florida Department of Citrus, said, “We hoped for more, but 47 million boxes of oranges demonstrate the resilience, ingenuity, and strength of Florida’s citrus growers and their unwavering commitment to fighting the challenges facing our industry,” she says. “Demand for Florida orange juice remains strong. Further, growers and researchers continue to develop new tools in the fight against HLB.”
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Commissioner Nikki Fried said, “We remain committed to supporting our citrus producers with research, technology, and techniques to fight the spread of citrus greening.”
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.