Florida citrus growers are targeting late September to early October for the start of fresh fruit harvest, following a delayed rainy season that has since improved. Matt Joyner, CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, said the state is coming off a 7 to 8 percent volume increase last season and is looking to continue that trajectory in the new campaign. About 90 percent of Florida's orange crop goes to processing, with fresh fruit representing roughly 10 percent of total citrus output. Florida grapefruit also remains part of the fresh supply picture.
Texas citrus is also moving toward harvest, with Texas Citrus Mutual President Dale Murden noting the state continues to recover from recent production challenges. Florida's reliance on natural rainfall distinguishes it from other U.S. citrus regions like California and Texas, which depend more on irrigation management.
This story is worth watching in the context of Florida's ongoing acreage decline — a trend already covered in Ripe. Even with improved volume in the last campaign, the structural shrinkage of Florida's citrus footprint means buyers should monitor whether this season's fresh supply can actually meet demand, particularly for grapefruit and specialty fresh orange SKUs.