Florida citrus growing within a protective screen in Bartow, Florida. (FOX News)
BARTOW, Fla. – Florida is facing the worst drought in 25 yearsincreasing pressure on a citrus industry already ravaged by disease, hurricanes and rising costs.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 100% of the state is experiencing some degree of drought, with more than 75% experiencing extreme drought. The dry spell is putting new financial pressure on farmers who rely heavily on irrigation to maintain their crops.
Florida accounts for 17% of the nation’s citrus production, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For many communities, the industry remains an important economic driver.
“There are multiple businesses in our county and in our state, and it is definitely a lifeline for many Floridians,” said Jennifer Schaal, VP of finance at Dundee Citrus Growers Association. “It’s what they depend on.”
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Nature, however, has been anything but reliable for Florida farmers.
In 2000, the state’s citrus industry covered more than 800,000 hectares. Today, that figure has dropped to just over 200,000 acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, due to years of disease pressure and storm damage.
“The biggest challenge the industry has faced in recent years is citrus greening disease,” said Steven Callaham, executive vice president and CEO of the Dundee Citrus Growers Association. “And on top of that challenge, we’ve experienced numerous hurricanes.”
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Recent freezes and now drought have increased this pressure.
“If you irrigate, you need a pump that is either diesel or electric powered, and that gets very expensive,” Callaham explains.
Dundee Citrus Growers Association is one of the largest fresh fruit cooperatives in the state of Florida, harvesting citrus from over 25,000 acres.
“The past year has been challenging,” said Bill Bohde, director of agronomy at Dundee Citrus. “During the flowering period, water is critical. It determines how good the fruit size is and ultimately, you know, how big your harvest will be.”
As citrus acreage declines across the state, the company has found a solution to nature’s many obstacles with something called ‘CUPS’ or Citrus Under Protective Screens.
Orange orchards are planted under 10-acre white tent structures known as pods. Originally installed to prevent diseases in citrus plants, the structures also help growers better manage soil moisture during historic droughts.
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“Everything is pumped through a series of pipes into this black tube, and each tree has a very small transmitter that releases a quantity of water,” Bhode explains.
The system allows precise irrigation, creating a controlled environment that can support fruit production even during extended dry periods.
Citrus fruit plants thrive under a protective screen in Bartow, Florida. (Amy Galo)
“These 25-acre pods will produce between 8,000 and 10,000 cases per pod,” Callaham said. “The trees in this environment are happy. They grow faster than trees in traditional outdoor forests, and they come into production faster. So it’s a way we can really get the industry back on track.”
USDA production data shows mixed results in the citrus categories. Lemon production in Florida increased by 4% compared to last season, while production of mandarins and tangelos remained unchanged. Grapefruit production fell by 8% and non-Valencia orange production fell by 2%, according to the agency.
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“If I wasn’t optimistic, I wouldn’t be in the citrus business,” Callaham says. “So I think we have a lot of positive things going for us right now, you know? The challenges that we have are temporary. We’re going to make it.”
