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Florida citrus industry struggles after disease, declining sales

Bay News 9 – August 6, 2011

Florida’s $9 billion citrus industry is hoping for a change in fortune. It’s facing tough times with plant disease and declining sales.

Citrus greening and citrus canker have wiped out thousands of acres of groves. That means fewer oranges and less orange juice are being produced.

And orange juice sales have been in a steady decline for the past decade. Sales are down from 888 million gallons to 608 million gallons.

This week, members of the Florida Citrus Commission held an emergency conference call to accept the resignation of the executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus. It’s the agency that spends tens of millions of dollars a year in industry taxes to promote sales.

Longtime citrus industry journalist Ernie Neff tells Bay News 9 that growers are hoping to find ways to fight citrus diseases, but even if those cures are found, sales really need to rebound.

“But they will immediately say, we have got to sell our product,” Neff said.

Polk County citrus grower Vic Story is worried that too many Americans will pick other options than orange juice.

“And when people stop drinking your product, orange juice, then it’s hard to get them back,” Story said.

Story believes the industry has to find a better way to market itself.

“Well, I think you have to have effective advertising,” Story said. “And you have to create that demand.”

Citrus commissioners have appointed an interim director for the Department of Citrus and they start looking for a new director on August 31st.

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