The Florida citrus industry is at a crossroads. (Actually, many might argue that it has already left the crossroads and is headed to the graveyard, but we disagree.) February was a big news month for the industry, and the key takeaways underscore the need for action and perseverance now. Not in a month, and not in a year. Now.
First came the USDA’s February Citrus Forecast, which revised its estimated orange production numbers to 11.5 million boxes, down 4 percent from January, which was — you guessed it — already lower than ever.
Then came the alarm bells as Tropicana, a huge name in the cultural image of the citrus industry, revealed it is in financial trouble. According to CNN, Tropicana saw its revenue and income drop last quarter. The drops come at a time when Tropicana’s owners, a European-based private equity firm, reportedly said they are “not confident any value remains from their initial investment.” Pepsi, which still owns a minority stake in the company, also readjusted the value of its investment.
The signs are there.
Make no mistake: This is bad news. Some people may see this as the one-two punch that could take down a whole industry. We argue that this is the exact time when creative thinkers, hands-on-the-ground researchers, and daring investors with a vision should step up and push this industry forward toward a secure future.
As each season passes, Florida is losing more grove land to development. And sadly, that’s a one-way street. You’ll never see subdivisions razed to make way for a return to citrus once solutions become more prevalent. Once the land and the infrastructure, including the packinghouses, are gone, they are history. And this history won’t repeat itself.
Don’t write the obituary for the citrus industry yet. What the USDA report doesn’t say is that trees grown with IPCs like the Tree Defender have fruit that is larger than average with higher brix levels for better juice. In addition, trees that have been grown in IPC conditions produce healthier fruit for many more seasons than trees without Tree Defender. In addition, there is more research that shows consistent improvements to citrus fruit and tree health with combined planting and covering methods.
The research is out there. The results are there. It’s easy to fall prey to bad news. What’s harder to face — and openly embrace — is the fact that improvements are happening. They haven’t come quickly, but they are there.
Ignoring those improvements — and not putting trees in the ground while we still have the infrastructure — will do more long-term damage to industry than any psyllid or storm ever will.