BARTOW, Florida – Citrus was a cornerstone of Florida's economy and identity for more than a century, but a decades-long decline driven by an invasive predator and relentless hurricanes leaves some wondering if the industry can ever recover.
Citrus once was “a behemoth” in the state, with nearly a million acres of trees, said Matt Joyner, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, the state’s largest citrus trade association. Today it grows on fewer than 200,000 acres.
Production has plummeted nearly 92% since the season before a trio of hurricanes made landfall here in 2004. In winter 2024-2025, production reached the lowest point in more than a century.
In early 2025, the state's largest commercial grower announced it would end its citrus operations in Florida, citing economic conditions.
However, many growers and scientists aren’t ready to close the book on Florida's citrus history.
