Citrus production has trended downward for years, but it dropped abruptly, by 20 percent, in the just-ended 2017/18 season, affected greatly by Hurricane Irma in Florida, said the USDA in its annual Citrus report. For the year, the U.S. harvest totaled 6.13 million tons, compared to nearly 8 million tons in 2016/17.
Production in Florida plunged by 37 percent this season. California was down 9 percent, and Texas was up by 9 percent. Oranges are the major U.S. citrus fruit, accounting for two-thirds of total production. Florida is the No. 1 orange producer, but California was a close second in 2017/18 because of the huge drop in Florida’s output. California is the overall top producer of citrus, which includes oranges, grapefruit, lemons, tangelos, tangerines, and mandarins.
Hurricane Irma struck Florida last Sept. 10, when the citrus crop was nearly ready for harvest. The Florida Department of Citrus said growers lost 30 percent to 70 percent of a promising crop. “We look forward to a quiet, resilient season in the fall,” said the department director, Shannon Shepp, when the harvest season ended in June.