this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2026
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Florida’s orange growing industry is kaput (slate.com)
submitted 1 week ago by reddig33@lemmy.world to c/nowhereelsetoshare@sh.itjust.works
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[–] fireweed@lemmy.world 28 points 1 week ago (2 children)

In 2003, the mighty Florida orange industry produced 242 million boxes of fruit, with 90 pounds of oranges per box, most of which went on to become orange juice. Now, not even 25 years later, the United States Department of Agriculture was forecasting a pitiful 12 million boxes of oranges, the least in more than 100 years, the worst year since last. A decline of more than 95 percent.

JFC

[–] actionjbone@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I read about half the article before I couldn't read anymore.

It's even worse than that intro paragraph makes it seem.

[–] wildncrazyguy138@fedia.io 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I got to the point where slate cuts it off to subscribe.

The gist:

  • oranges originally came from China via the conquistadors.
  • there’s a greening bacteria that probably came from a tiny bug which also originates from China. - the bug was transported throughout the state by hurricanes
  • The bacteria takes years for it present itself within the tree. By the time you notice, the tree is already in its death throes.
  • there is no current cure, thought they’re working on it. Will likely be many years before the can confirm a real fix
  • most orange juice no longer comes from Florida, the US is a major consumer of the stuff, kind of a novelty elsewhere. We started drinking it because of its vitamin c richness as distributed in rations during ww2.
  • more resistant hybrids are a solution, but author says hybrid juice tastes terrible.
  • Growers may be moving to other crops in the interim.
[–] brotundspiele@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

the US is a major consumer of the stuff, kind of a novelty elsewhere

You can get 10 different brands of orange juice in a German supermarket, but the biggest family pack would be a litre, not a gallon. When I was a kid fruit juice was still marketed as healthy, so we drank a lot. But even then, our family of 5 would never have been able to drink 3.7 litres of juice before it would get bad.

[–] Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

more resistant hybrids are a solution, but author says hybrid juice tastes terrible.

Orange juice doesn't taste like orange juice anyway. It loses its flavor in storage and they all add flavors.

[–] merde@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

broccoli juice for vitamin c, yay :/

[–] ThomasWilliams@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Citrus greening disease.

Citrus doesn't really grow that well in tropical regions as they are susceptible to moulds and insect infestation in the bark.