Summary

The Florida citrus industry encompasses a range of economic activities, including fruit production in 27 counties of central and south Florida, fresh fruit grading, packing and shipping to domestic and international markets, fruit processing for juice extraction, and juice packaging for retail distribution. Florida citrus bearing grove area has declined from over 750,000 acres in the year 2000 to around 411,000 acres in 2017, a reduction of 45 percent, while production volume utilized has declined by 71 percent, primarily due to losses from citrus greening disease (also known as Huanglongbing or HLB), which entered the state in 2005.

During the 2016-17 marketing season, 78.4 million boxes of citrus fruit were produced in Florida, including 68.7 million boxes of oranges, 7.8 million boxes of grapefruit, and 1.9 million boxes of specialty citrus, of which 9 percent was sold in the fresh market and 91 percent was utilized for processing. The total grower value of citrus fruit was over $1.182 billion, with fruit for processing valued at nearly $1.022 billion and fruit for fresh consumption valued at nearly $160 million, based on delivered prices. Florida citrus juice processors produced 774 million gallons of citrus juice in 2016-17, with a total producer value of $3.043 billion (free on board [F.O.B.] price basis). Florida citrus processors also produced byproducts of citrus pulp, meal, molasses, and the essential oil d-Limonene, valued at $72 million.

The economic contribution analysis estimated total applicable industry output contributions of $7.241 billion, including $2.388 billion from citrus fruit production, $4.766 billion from citrus juice manufacturing, and $87 million for fresh citrus marketing. The citrus industry supported a total of 50,030 fulltime and part-time jobs in the state. Total value added contributions, estimated at $2.823 billion, represent the industry’s contribution to Gross State Product. Labor income contributions amounted to $1.954 billion, representing earnings by employees and business owners. Total state and local tax contributions of the Florida citrus industry were $128 million.

Suggested Citation: Court, Christa D., A.W. Hodges, C. Stair, and M. Rahmani. “Economic Contributions of the Florida Citrus Industry in 2016-17.” Economic Impact Analysis Program, University of Florida-IFAS, Food & Resource Economics Department, Gainesville, FL, December 2018.