The latest forecast kept Florida Oranges at 103 million boxes, Florida Grapefruit at 15 million boxes.
BARTOW, Fla. – A report issued Tuesday by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture matched the orange and grapefruit predictions from the January forecast.
The February forecast (PDF) kept Florida Orange production at 103 million boxes and Florida Grapefruit production at 15 million boxes for the 2014-15 season.
“Today’s forecast reflects the continued dedication and hard work of Florida Citrus growers,” said Doug Ackerman, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. “However, the battle against citrus greening is far from over. Further investments in research are needed to defeat this disease and protect the amazing industry so many have worked to build.”
Last year’s federal Farm Bill included $125 million for greening research, and Adam Putnam, Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, recently announced a request for $18 million from the state budget to further support the battle against greening.
The FDOC planned its budget for the current season on an initial estimate of 100 million boxes.
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 nearly 62,000 people, provides an annual economic impact of nearly $10.7 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.
