Citrus Sector Is Still a Main Squeeze for the Sunshine State
Despite challenges from diseases, land development trends, and extreme weather, Florida’s citrus industry contributed $6.935 billion to the state’s economy in 2020-2021. A just-released report from University of Florida economists, “2020-2021 Economic Contributions of the Florida Citrus Industry,” estimated the contributions for the most recent citrus marketing season for which data are available.
The report is sponsored by the Florida Department of Citrus.
Citrus juice manufacturing remains the largest factor in the overall economic contributions of the industry, per the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program’s (EIAP) report. Contributing to the $6.935 billion total are:
- $5.334 billion from citrus juice manufacturing,
- $1.425 billion from citrus fruit production,
- $177 million for fresh citrus marketing.
The citrus industry supports a total of 32,542 full-time and part-time jobs in the state. Total value-added contributions, estimated at $2.841 billion, represent the industry’s contribution to Gross State Product. Labor income contributions amounted to $1.606 billion, representing earnings by employees and business owners throughout Florida’s economy.
Citrus’ support of local communities remains significant, as well, with total state and local tax contributions of $151 million.
Comparing the overall economic contributions of the Florida citrus industry in 2019-2020 with the 2020-2021 period using updated data and methods, employment increased by 0.2%, labor income increased by 5.8%, value added increased by 3.4%, and industry output increased by 2.8% in constant dollar terms.
Christa Court, Director of EIAP and Assistant Professor of regional economics, added that the true value of this year’s report lies in the story it will help tell next year.
“The estimates for the 2020-21 citrus season are particularly important because it can be thought of as a baseline season prior to the multiple adverse weather-related events that the industry endured in 2022,” she says, referencing two cold snaps and two hurricanes in the main citrus-producing areas of the state across the calendar year.
For more on the report, visit news.ifas.ufl.edu.
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