With numerous farms in Florida decimated by Hurricane Ian, wholesale and retail prices for oranges, grapefruits, lemons and other citrus options are poised to surge. Citrus farmers throughout western Florida are assessing the damage done to their property in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
According to Matt Joyner, CEO of the trade association Florida Citrus Mutual, it will take a long time for the state orange industry to recover from the hurricane.
Most probably, Hurricane Ian will go down as one of the largest to ever hit Florida, which is saying something since the state has seen numerous major hurricane events over the years. Ian was a Category 4 in terms of intensity and produced sustained winds clocked at approximately 150 miles per hour. It's believed to be the fourth-strongest hurricane to impact Florida based on wind speeds.
With substantially fewer oranges for Florida fruit growers to harvest, the cost of grapefruits, oranges and minneolas is almost certain to spike sharply heading into the peak season for selling, which runs from December through March. Even without Ian, farmers haven't produced as much as they normally do.
Ian certainly isn't the first major hurricane to affect Florida citrus farmers. In 2017, Hurricane Irma tore a path of destruction throughout the state. The level of damage done to farmers led to a 34% drop in citrus production compared to 2016, based on separate USDA figures.
Source: strategicsourceror.com