Orange juice prices on the rise due to demand, citrus greening

Florida is known for growing oranges and orange juice production but, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state is on track to have its smallest crop yield in more than 75 years.

Simply Orange and Minute Maid orange juice come from acres and acres of groves at Tamiami Citrus in Immokalee.

Tamiami Citrus Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Ron Mahon, said they are feeling the effects of the pandemic because people remembered the benefits a glass of orange juice can bring to your immune system.

“We can see the volume of orange juice that people drink before with peak in cold and flu season. Now with the COVID outbreak, we had a second peak. That would happen in March, April, and it’s kind of continued,” said Mahon.

For years, orange groves across the state have faced their own infection; citrus greening, a bacterial disease that slowly breaks down the tree, opening it to other infections.

Citrus greening makes it harder for orange farmers like Mahon to keep your breakfast glass of Vitamin C on the table at a reasonable price.

Mahon said, “the juice inside it is very, it tastes bitter, bad. It’s not good for orange juice.”

Florida is set to produce about 44 million boxes of oranges this year. According to the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, that’s 200 million boxes fewer than at the state’s peak.

With the boost in consumption from the pandemic, farmers are having trouble keeping up with that demand, meaning it’s going to cost you more at the store.

Orange juice prices are already up about 14%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“We’re trying our best to keep supplies up in keeping the oranges flowing into juice,” Mahon said.

Tamiami Citrus grows Valencia Oranges, an orange more resistant to citrus greening, but Mahon feels older groves need to do the same to keep up with demand.

If you have citrus trees in your backyard, you could also experience citrus greening.

Symptoms include a blotchy appearance or yellowing, which starts on one branch and spreads, a blotchiness on one side of a leaf mid-rib but not on the other and a decrease in fruit production.