Florida grapefruit

A new report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revealed that the overall production area of Florida citrus fell 1.3 per cent during the 2008/09 season, down to just over 230,000ha from 233,000ha last year.

The 1.3 per cent drop is down to the elimination and removal of trees infected by citrus canker and citrus greening disease, according to agricultural statisticians.

Production area of grapefruit and specialty citrus such as tangerines is down 54 per cent from the same period of 2000, with orange acreage falling by 26 per cent – the fifth consecutive year that it has declined.

Grapefruit acreage has fallen 5.3 per cent year-on-year to a new low of 21,800ha, with the white seedless variety losing 10 per cent of its production area since 2007/08.

While there has been a loss in acreage, there has also been an increase in new plantings, according to the USDA. Indeed, plantings of 4,190ha are above the yearly averages from 2006 and 2008 and partially offset the gross tree loss.