(The Center Square) – Florida’s citrus industry has survived several devastating hurricanes in recent years. She also had to deal with frost and continues to battle citrus greening, a disease that has devastated the industry and threatens crops.

But after two consecutive hurricanes – Helene and Milton – in late September and early October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its December forecast for the 2024-2025 citrus harvest. This is the smallest citrus harvest in over a century.

December’s forecast was worse than October’s, sending shockwaves through the industry, projecting the smallest citrus harvest in more than a century for the first time.

The citrus season extends from October to June. Last year, the industry produced about 18 million 90-pound boxes of its flagship crop: oranges.

In October, the USDA forecast 15 million boxes of oranges and 1.4 million boxes of grapefruit for the season.

The forecast was “extremely discouraging,” Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, which represents several thousand growers, said in a news release at the time.

“Before Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida’s citrus belt this week, citrus growers were optimistic about the health of their groves and hoped for a successful season. After years of battling citrus greening and trying to recover from Hurricane Ian two years ago, we are beginning to see tree health and flowering improve thanks to treatments and therapies deployed in groves,” he explained.

But after the back-to-back hurricanes, the USDA released its December forecast, predicting additional losses.

Overall orange production, including those in and outside Valencia, is expected to be 20% lower than October’s forecast, now standing at 12 million boxes. Total grapefruit production, down 14%, with a forecast of 1.2 million boxes, 200,000 boxes less than the October forecast. Tangerine and tangerine production is expected to be 13% lower than October forecast.

If this happens, orange and grapefruit production will be 33% lower than last season’s final production, the report said.

That’s after in February 2022, the industry, reeling from a major freeze, produced the smallest batch of oranges since World War II, The Center Square. reported.

The citrus industry, like many others in Florida, is still dealing with the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Helene approached Big Bend, Florida for a Category 4 landfall on September 27. Milton, a Category 3 vessel, struck on October 9, crossing east-central Florida with winds of up to 180 thousand hours, dumping 15 inches of rain, flooding about a dozen rivers and spawning at least 19 tornadoes confirmed, according to the National Weather Service.

Milton is the third hurricane to hit Florida in a year, the sixth time the state has reported three hurricanes in a single hurricane season since 1871.

A citrus grower in Lake County said WKMG News 6, “For most people in the citrus industry, we’re here for good. We try. It’s our lifestyle. This is our family. This is our history and we want to move forward. We understand that Florida is experiencing a lot of development, whether it’s homes, buildings or businesses, but it’s on our license plates. Orange is the emblem of Florida and we want it to continue. So we roll with the punches. »

Florida’s citrus growers “are resilient, but after battling citrus greening for nearly two decades and experiencing three major hurricanes in the last seven years that devastated the heart of our growing region, Producers are tired and will need the support of our state and federal partners to continue their action. the return of the industry,” Joyner said.

Citrus growers operate nearly 275,000 acres of citrus plantations in Florida, employ more than 32,500 people and generate an annual economic impact of nearly $7 billion, according to Florida Citrus Mutual. states.

Citrus growers have a history of resilience, the Florida Department of Citrus explain.

During the 1894-1895 season, Florida’s citrus crops were largely destroyed by a devastating frost, prompting growers to move farther south. By 1950, more than 100 million cases of citrus had been picked; in 1970, 200 million.

The majority of Florida’s citrus is produced in the southern two-thirds of the state. Polk County in central Florida remains the leading citrus-producing county.