Florida orange growers struggle to keep juice on tables after 'unprecedented setbacks' squeeze industry
Retail prices for oranges, orange juice expected to stay strong in 2023
FOX Business' Ashley Webster reports from Groveland, Florida, where orange farmers are expected to produce the fewest amount of of the fruit since 1937.
It’s a tough "peel" to swallow – Florida orange farmers are suffering devastating supply and labor issues as the juicy fruit’s retail price is expected to squeeze consumers throughout this year.
"Break-even would be the optimum at this point. The whole industry, it's experienced unprecedented setbacks," Beck Brothers Citrus President Glenn Beck told FOX Business’ Ashley Webster on "Mornings with Maria" Thursday. "So we're just trying to survive now just for the hope of a better day."
Florida’s orange production is projected to hit historic lows in 2023, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicting 18 million boxes to enter the retail market, the lowest orange supply to come out of the Sunshine State since 1937.
That’s an estimated 56% drop in Florida’s orange exports year-over-year, while peak orange production sits at 244 million boxes.
ORANGE JUICE PRICES LIKELY TO STAY STRONG, EXPERT SAYS
Due to a combined impact from a crop freeze, Hurricane Ian damage and a citrus "greening disease" that can sap the life out of trees in droves, Beck said many Florida growers were forced to downsize operations or close their doors altogether.
A crop freeze, hurricane damage and citrus greening disease are "squeezing" Florida orange farmers with "unprecedented setbacks," Beck Brothers Citrus President Glenn Beck said on "Mornings with Maria" Thursday, January 26, 2023. (Getty Images)
"Many don't get past it," Beck noted. "Those without the resources to combat all of these problems, unfortunately, they go out of business."
With less labor and producers creating a lower supply of oranges, the fruit’s retail price has surged. A spokesperson for the USDA told FOX Business last week that the crop in Florida this year is smaller than California for the first time in decades due to the weather conditions and hurricanes.
"The industry is really, really struggling hard to keep orange juice on the table," commodities analyst Judy Ganes said.
Florida orange grove owners are working to protect their crops - and operations - amid low supply and rising retail market prices. (Getty Images)
The Wall Street Journal reported that prices for a gallon of orange juice in some areas is already above $6.
At one point, Florida produced 90% of all domestic orange juice, but that number now floats closer to 50% as farms from Mexico and Brazil step in to help.
Beck warned consumers that at "no time soon" will orange prices start to decline.
"Even if we manage to increase our production, it's going to be some time before that gets into the pipeline. So the prices are here to stay for a while," the Florida orange farmer said.
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Correspondent Phil Keating has the details from Sebring, Fla., on 'The Claman Countdown.'
An upcoming report from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is slated to estimate that Hurricane Ian caused more than $1 billion worth of damage to the state’s agriculture industry, including $247 million in citrus damages.
That figure is the estimated value of fruit loss and does not include repair or replacement costs of damaged or destroyed citrus trees or infrastructure.
FOX Business’ Danielle Genovese contributed to this report.