New citrus production projections released by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture on Thursday are predicting price
decreases this growing season. The department’s projections
estimate that Florida citrus growers will produce 154 million
boxes of oranges, 20.3 million boxes of grapefruit, 4.4 million
boxes of tangerines, and 1.2 million boxes of tangelos. Last
year, the state produced 146.4 million boxes of oranges,
according to a Bloomberg report. Thomas Spreen, a professor
emeritus at the University of Florida’s Food and Resource
Economics department, said the projected increases will lead to
a decline in price for growers and consumers. Although growers
will have a less lucrative season, Spreen said, they will not
look to cut corners. “You always harvest the fruit that’s out
there,” he said. Spreen said a bigger concern is citrus
greening, a deadly bacterial disease that destroys crops, which
can cost growers money. “The concern is that with this green
disease that the growers are dealing with right now, the