The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) on May 26 presented a preliminary 2021-22 operating budget of $18.095 million to its governing board, the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC). That is a 7% decrease from the previous season. The reduction reflects an expected reduction in crop size.
Preliminary revenue is based on an estimate of 50 million boxes of Florida oranges, 4.2 million boxes of grapefruit and 900,000 boxes of specialty citrus in the 2021-22 season. The grapefruit and specialty citrus estimates are the same as the numbers in the May U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecast for the Florida crop for the current season. However, the orange crop is smaller than the May forecast of 51.7 million boxes for this season. The preliminary 2021-22 budget also anticipates imports equivalent to 34.5 million boxes of processed oranges and 500,00 boxes of grapefruit.
The preliminary assumption is that grower assessment rates will remain the same as the current year: 12 cents per box for processed oranges, 5 cents per box for fresh oranges, and 7 cents per box for grapefruit and specialty fruit.
A final preliminary budget will be presented to the FCC in June. The FCC will approve a final budget and set grower assessment rates on each box of fruit in October, based on the season’s first crop forecast from the USDA.
The preliminary 2021-22 budget includes revenue of $8.9 million in the Citrus Advertising Trust Fund, as well as $5.5 million in general revenue funding from the state of Florida to support domestic programs and new varieties and development. This general revenue allocation is pending approval by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The preliminary budget also includes $3.5 million in Foreign Agricultural Service Market Access Program funds from the USDA to be used on international programs as well as a carry forward of $108,067 in previously unspent Agricultural Trade Promotion funds.
Global marketing and public relations represent the bulk of the preliminary budget at $12.9 million, a reduction of 10 percent from the previous season.
Source: Florida Department of Citrus
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