Florida Orange Juice is More Valuable Than Ever
Florida Orange juice is more valuable than ever, with prices skyrocketing due to low production and high demand. If you thought paying $5 for a latte was expensive, wait until you see the price of a gallon of OJ.
While orange juice has always been a staple of breakfast tables across the US, it’s now become a luxury item. One TikTok user was outraged to see the price of his favorite Simply Orange juice had risen to $7. For that price, you’d expect the orange juice to be freshly squeezed by the finest Italian baristas.
So, why the sudden increase in price? According to the Guardian, the answer lies here in Florida. Our state produces the most orange juice in the country. Unfortunately, Florida has been experiencing a drop in production due to a combination of extreme weather events and a citrus disease that’s been plaguing its groves for over a decade.
Florida Orange Juice:
Hurricane Ian caused havoc on the state’s citrus farms, causing an estimated $247 million in damages. On top of that, the citrus industry has been dealing with a pandemic of citrus greening, a disease spread by an insect that infects the trees with bacteria. This has led to a 61% drop in production compared to last season. That’s a lot of oranges that won’t be turned into juice.
With low production in Florida, other countries like Brazil have stepped in to fill the gap, leading to an increase in orange juice shipments. But at what cost? Floridian orange growers are still optimistic, however, and are investing in research and development to fight the disease and replant old and infected trees.
Despite the challenges, the orange growers are a resilient bunch. They keep pushing forward, determined to keep the industry alive. They say that the efforts to fight the disease are starting to bear fruit, literally. In the meantime, we’ll just have to suck it up and pay the price for a glass of orange juice. Who knows, it might become a luxury item that only the rich and famous can afford.
If you want to invest in a commodity that’s on the rise, forget about gold or Bitcoin, and buy orange juice futures. You never know, it might be worth more than gold soon. So, if you see a glass of orange juice that costs more than a cup of coffee, don’t be surprised. It’s the latest luxury item on the market.