What Hurricane Irma Means For The Florida Orange
In Irma's aftermath, the sunshine state's iconic crop is at great risk.
Citrus Catastrophe
Hurricane Irma hit Florida's citrus crops hard. Recent reports estimate a staggering 50-70% crop loss in South Florida alone. Recovery efforts are underway: strong winds tore up trees and irrigation systems, and the rains left groves flooded.
Although Florida is no stranger to storms, such widespread damage is unprecedented. Consumers may feel the impact in the months to come.
The storm also affected the tomato and strawberry crops in the region, as well as Florida's sugar cane. As if Irma's physical toll wasn't enough: the reduced output could spell an economic loss upwards of $100 million!
Bad News For OJ Lovers
Sorry, citrus addicts: the price of both frozen and fresh-squeezed juice may surge (and sooner than you think).
Unless the citrus industry can recover quickly, this likely means price hikes in the near future. Florida dominates orange production, second only to Brazil on the global market. It supplies at least 90% of orange juice in the U.S. But with over half of the season's crop destroyed, this may not be the case.
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