The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Oct. 28 set the 2026–27 grower assessments that help fund the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) and heard marketing and economic reports.
ASSESSMENTS
As recommended by the FDOC staff, the FCC approved grower assessment rates for 2026–27 that are unchanged from the previous season. The per-box rates are 5 cents for fresh oranges, 7 cents for all grapefruit, 7 cents for all specialty fruit and 12 cents for processed oranges.
MARKETING
FDOC domestic fresh citrus funding more than doubled to $2.4 million this year, expanding Florida grapefruit and orange programs and adding a new fresh specialty program for mandarins and tangerines, the FDOC global marketing team reported. Including international funds, approximately $5 million now supports Florida fresh citrus worldwide.
Plans include more than 800 grapefruit demonstrations at major U.S. retailers this winter.
Florida orange juice marketing and promotions have generated $17.4 million in attributed sales through September, a return of $20.57 for every dollar spent.
Four new True Originals creative concepts tested well with consumers: 83% to 91% found them appealing, and up to 90% preferred juice with the Florida designation. All four concepts go into production in December.
The first of four limited-time-offer promotions was launched in Tampa, with promotions in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and New York to follow in early 2027.
Internationally, USDA-funded programs in European countries, South Korea and Canada will drive awareness and demand whether or not fruit is available in-market. Highlights include a new in-flight advertising program, chef and foodservice partnerships, and a Lunar New Year–themed premium grapefruit box in Canada.
ECONOMICS
FDOC Director of Economic and Market Research Marisa Zansler summarized the October federal crop forecast for Florida citrus in 2026–27. That forecast was for 10 million boxes of oranges, 1.3 million boxes of grapefruit and 450,000 boxes of specialty fruit.
Zansler reported that approximately 90% of Florida’s orange crop is projected to be used for processing. Of that amount, an estimated 5.8 million boxes are expected to be used for not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice and 3.2 million boxes for frozen concentrated orange juice.
Approximately 34% of the Florida grapefruit crop is expected to be processed for NFC grapefruit juice, Zansler stated.
Zansler reviewed projected shipments of fresh Florida oranges, grapefruit and specialty citrus. The majority of Florida’s fresh citrus is expected to reach consumers through domestic channels, primarily in the South and Northeast. Canada continues to be a leading export market for Florida fresh citrus.
Source: FDOC
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