Florida Citrus Industry Left Reeling After Hurricane Ian

Posted: October 30, 2022 8:08 am

The true scope of the economic impact left by Hurricane Ian is coming into focus and the news is not good. Ian slammed into the coast of Southwest Florida at the end of September as a powerful Category 4 storm. In addition to claiming over 100 lives, the storm also damaged or destroyed thousands of homes. The famous Florida citrus crop industry has been hit especially hard by Ian’s wrath.

Diving Into the Numbers

The latest estimates put the total economic losses as a result of Hurricane Ian between $180 and $210 billion in the U.S. alone. This does not include the damage that the storm brought when it first hit Cuba.

One of the hardest hit industries was the Florida citrus crop business. Citrus farmers in the Sunshine State are used to dealing with setbacks ranging from pest infestations and disease. However, the damage levied by Hurricane Ian is a setback that is much more challenging to quantify due to its severity.

There is no doubt that the citrus industry is an essential piece of Florida’s overall economy. Over 375,000 acres in the state are used for oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and other citrus crops. The industry brings in about $6 billion on an annual basis.

Some farmers are estimating that they may lose up to 80% of the early-season fruit. For instance, fruit such as Hamlin oranges that are typically harvested in the early part of the growing season were the most vulnerable to the winds that roared through the citrus grove as Ian pushed across the state.

Wind and Rain Destroy Citrus Crops

It was not just the winds that caused the damage. Torrential rainfall that swept through the peninsula left some groves under at least three feet of water even in areas located farther inland.

According to the Florida Department of Citrus, the early estimates put the losses to this industry at over $300 million. Officials believe this number may go up even more in the coming weeks. For instance, the early estimate only accounts for direct damage to the fruit. The final numbers will also encompass the infrastructure that supports the industry.

Unfortunately, the news was already bad before Hurricane Ian came onshore. The U.S. Department of Agricultural (USDA) had previously warned that the harvest was going to be down over 30% from last year. Greater levels of infestations and the rising cost of pesticides to combat these impacts lowered overall expectations.

The impacts from Hurricane Ian will undoubtedly send this expectation down even further, likely resulting in the lowest harvest yield numbers in over 70 years. This region is just now bouncing back from the destruction of Hurricane Irma five years ago. It takes at least five years for a new tree to be able to produce the fruit needed to turn a profit. This means that the trees planted after Irma tore through the state are just now making farmers money.

Experts familiar with the industry worry that this major setback may be the last straw for many of the region’s family operations. While larger operations can weather the storm and rebound, many of the smaller businesses will be forced to sell.

What This Means for Consumers

There will also be more pressure on California to try to bridge the gap between the losses and what American consumers demand. For instance, according to the USDA, California is predicted to move past Florida as the country’s major producer of oranges. The new estimates show that California will provide about 62% of the nation’s orange production.

Consumers all over the country can expect to see the consequences of the crop damage in what they pay for citrus products in the coming months. This is bad news for American families already dealing with inflation and the rising cost of goods.

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