As Hurricane Debby worked its way northward through the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 4-5, the storm brought heavy rainfall and localized flooding to Florida citrus regions.
Portions of Hillsborough and Sarasota counties, both located on the west coast of Florida, received over 10 inches of rainfall, according to a USDA crop progress report. Ocoee (Orange County) and Lake Placid (Highlands County), more to the center of the state, both received just over 6 inches of rainfall, the report said.
Field personnel reported next season’s fruit from golf ball to larger than baseball size, the report said. The USDA has not yet forecast Florida citrus production for the 2024-25 season.
In 2023, the USDA reported the average U.S. terminal market price for Florida grapefruit was $37.25 per carton in October, $38.08 per carton in November and $37.30 per carton in December.
