BARTOW, Fla. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its March 2025 citrus crop forecast today, projecting 11.6 million boxes of oranges, 1.2 million boxes of grapefruit and 350,000 boxes of tangerines and tangelos for the 2024-2025 harvest season.
The forecast reflects an increase in the production of oranges and grapefruits since the February 2025 citrus crop estimate, which estimated 11.5 million boxes of oranges and 1.1 million boxes of grapefruit, while the production of tangerines and tangelos remains the same at 350,000 boxes.
“Today’s steady increase in the citrus crop estimate offers a glimmer of hope that production may be on the road to recovery. Despite setbacks from hurricanes and citrus greening, citrus growers and researchers are working hand-in-hand to leverage technologies and sustainable practices to rebuild Florida citrus production,” said Matt Joyner, CEO at Florida Citrus Mutual. “It’s crucial that industry, academia and government continue working together to ensure the future is bright for Florida citrus. Florida’s citrus industry continues to receive an outpouring of support from state leaders, including Senate President Ben Albritton and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. With continued resources from the state and federal levels, Florida citrus growers can preserve Florida’s citrus legacy as the iconic symbol of our state, providing jobs and shaping our culture for more than a century.”
On March 4, the opening day of Florida’s 2025 Regular Session, Florida Senate President Ben Albritton delivered powerful remarks about his commitment to preserving Florida’s citrus industry: “As I’ve said before, I was born and bred in Florida citrus and this viable industry is not going down on my watch. To those growers who are left in the business today, hear me when I say: You are not forgotten. You are not alone. I am running to this fight. Research and new technologies are offering a new hope for the future of Florida citrus. We are on the edge of something special. Florida citrus is making a comeback – one tree at a time. This Florida legacy will live on.”
On February 3, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the proposed Focus on Fiscal Responsibility Budget for 2025-2026 ahead of this year’s legislative session, which includes more than $20 million for the Citrus Health Response Program and other citrus research. Of the $20 million, $7 million is for advertising and additional research through the Florida Department of Citrus to increase the production of trees and advance technologies that produce a tree resistant to citrus greening. An additional proposal of $100 million for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program aims to protect working agricultural lands and family farms from development.
Disease-resistant varieties and new treatment methods that have come online in the last 18 to 24 months are showing real progress in the fight against citrus greening, giving growers hope of increasing production to continue supplying Florida’s iconic orange juice to people around the world. Resources and funding from state and federal partners remain critical for research, disaster recovery efforts and replanting citrus greening disease-tolerant varieties to support the industry’s rebuilding efforts.
— provided by Florida Citrus Mutual