Florida citrus acreage contracts by 8% in 2022

Still battling disease pressures, Florida citrus growers continue to cut their acreage, a new report shows.

A September survey of Florida citrus area revealed nearly a 10% drop in grapefruit area and an 8% drop in oranges.

Results of the annual Commercial Citrus Inventory, published from the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service, revealed total citrus acreage is 375,302 acres, down 8% from the last survey off 25% from more than 500,000 acres in 2015.

The net loss of 32,046 acres is 19,942 acres more than what was lost the previous season, according to the report. New plantings at 7,980 acres are down about 2,500 acres compared with the previous season. 

All citrus trees, at 55.8 million, are down 7% from the previous season, report said.

Of the 24 published counties included in the survey, 23 recorded decreases in acreage while one county (Brevard) showed an increase.

Hendry County lost the most acreage, down 6,640 acres from the previous season, the report said. DeSoto County records the most citrus acres at 64,641.

By citrus type, orange acreage is now pegged at 343,659 acres, down 8% from the previous season. Valencia acreage accounts for 60% of the total orange acreage, while non-Valencia acreage represents 38%, and the remaining orange acreage is unidentified.

Grapefruit acreage is now at 17,997 acres, down 10% from the previous season. 

White grapefruit (including seedy) is 12% of the total with 2,091 acres, while red grapefruit is 87% of the total with 15,667 acres, the report said. The remaining 1% is unidentified.

Specialty fruit acreage, at 13,646 acres, is off 10% from the previous season. Tangerines and tangelos account for 60% of the specialty fruit, with 8,205 acres. The remaining acreage includes true lemons and other citrus acreage, with a total of 5,441 acres, or 40%.