ORLANDO, Fla. — Nearly a quarter of Florida’s citrus acreage has been developed over the past year, according to the Department of Agriculture.
The Florida citrus industry is entering the 2025-2026 growing season with just over 208,000 acres in use for producing oranges, grapefruits and specialty fruits, marking a 24% decrease from the previous year.
Florida Citrus Mutual CEO Matt Joyner said the federal report aligns with the industry’s experiences.
“We need some good weather years. There is no doubt about that. We cannot continue to have hurricane on top of hurricane every season and continue to move forward in any measurable manner,” said Joyner.
Joyner said the industry will never again reach the nearly 1 million acres it occupied a quarter-century ago. But he said additional state support can help the industry continue to thrive in the Florida.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
