BARTOW, Fla. – A report issued Wednesday by the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture projected no change over last month in the size of this season’s Florida Orange crop.
The June forecast estimated Florida Orange production for the 2014-15 season at 96.4 million boxes. Florida Grapefruit production was projected at 12.950 million boxes.
According to Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Doug Ackerman, “The stability reflected in today’s forecast is welcome. However, we haven’t lost sight of the bottom-line costs our growers have experienced this season. We are already hard at work on our programs for next season, and we will work closely with the industry to protect and promote the interests of Florida citrus.”
The FDOC, which is funded by box taxes paid by the state’s citrus growers, serves as the chief marketing and promotion arm for the industry.
The USDA will provide a final forecast for the 2014-15 season on July 10.
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.
