According to a USDA report, Florida has "63.78 million commercial orange trees, down more than 1.8 percent from a year ago." The Florida citrus industry has been fighting "citrus greening, an insect-borne bacterial disease that kills trees and has spread widely since it first appeared in the state in 2005." Additionally, Andrew Meadows, a spokesman for Florida Citrus Mutual a growers and processors group, said that some farmers are selling their land for different reasons.
"Florida's orange production dropped 18 percent to 133.6 million 90-pound (41-kilogram) boxes [during] the 2009-10 season." This was "the smallest crop since the 2006-07 season, when several hurricanes ripped through the central Florida groves.
To read the Reuters story, click here.
Posted: 09/27/2010
