Florida’s citrus industry has continued its long-term decline, shrinking by 17 percent in acreage over the past year due to disease, environmental challenges, and decreased new plantings.

Florida’s citrus industry has shrunk by 17 percent over the past year, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), continuing a years-long decline driven by environmental factors, disease, and shrinking new plantings in one of the state’s most important agricultural sectors.

Total citrus acreage now stands at 274,705 acres, with a net loss of 57,551 acres from the previous season, according to the report. Moreover, all 23 counties included in the survey reported a decrease in citrus acreage, with Hendry County losing 12,374 acres. Polk County remains the largest citrus-growing area with 58,516 acres, followed by Desoto County with 51,800 acres.

Orange groves saw an 18 percent drop to 248,028 acres. Valencia oranges, which make up 63 percent of the state’s orange acreage, were hit hard, along with non-Valencia varieties such as Hamlin and Navel oranges. Grapefruit acreage declined by 10 percent, down to 14,316 acres, while specialty fruits like tangerines and tangelos saw a 6 percent reduction.

Florida’s citrus acreage has been on a steady downward trend for two decades. In 2000, the state had more than 832,000 acres dedicated to citrus; today, that number is less than a third of what it was.

Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022 further compounded the industry’s struggles, damaging groves across the state. Additionally, citrus greening, a disease that has devastated groves over the years, continues to damage trees long-term, reducing yields and weakening the industry’s ability to recover.

The USDA report also points to a slowdown in new plantings, with only 4,751 acres of new groves planted last season—well below the level required to offset ongoing losses. Many of Florida’s remaining citrus trees are aging, with the number of younger, productive trees continuing to decline.

According to another report published by the USDA, Florida’s citrus industry saw a uptick in production and value in the 2023-2024 season, with the preliminary on-tree value of the citrus crop reaching $221 million, a 6 percent increase from the prior season’s revised value of $208 million. The total citrus production grew by 12 percent to 20.2 million boxes, up from 18.1 million boxes the previous year, while Orange production, which represents the majority of the citrus output, surged by 14 percent to 18 million boxes, with both Valencia and non-Valencia oranges experiencing significant increases. However, grapefruit production saw a slight decline of 1 percent, and tangerine and tangelo production decreased by 6 percent.

Despite the increase in orange production, the average price per box for all oranges dropped slightly. The most recent season saw the top five citrus-producing counties—Polk, DeSoto, Highlands, Hendry, and Hardee—account for 71 percent of Florida’s total citrus production.