Orange Juice Prices Soar to New Heights, Thanks to a Global Citrus Crisis

John D. Kiambuthi
3 min readMay 23, 2023

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The world’s orange crop is in trouble, and it’s driving up the price of orange juice.

Photo by Philippe Gauthier on Unsplash

The global citrus industry is in crisis. A combination of factors, including a devastating citrus greening disease, a cold snap in Florida, and a drought in Brazil, have led to a sharp decline in the world’s orange crop.

This has had a major impact on the price of orange juice. In the past year, the price of orange juice has more than doubled. In some cases, it has even tripled.

This is bad news for consumers, who are now paying more for their OJ. But it’s also bad news for the orange juice industry, which is struggling to cope with the high prices.

Some experts believe that the high prices of orange juice are here to stay. They say that the citrus greening disease is too destructive to be stopped, and that the global climate is changing in ways that are making it more difficult to grow oranges.

Others are more optimistic. They say that the citrus industry is resilient, and that it will eventually find a way to adapt to the challenges it faces.

Only time will tell who is right. But one thing is for sure: the high prices of orange juice are a sign of the times.

Here are some additional details about the citrus crisis:

  • Citrus greening disease is a bacterial infection that is devastating orange trees around the world. The disease causes the leaves of the trees to turn yellow and fall off, which makes it difficult for the trees to produce fruit.
  • A cold snap in Florida in 2017–2018 damaged many orange trees in the state. The cold weather caused the trees to lose their leaves and fruit, which led to a decline in the state’s orange crop.
  • A drought in Brazil in 2018–2019 also damaged orange trees in the country. The drought caused the trees to lose water, which made it difficult for them to produce fruit.

The combination of these factors has led to a sharp decline in the world’s orange crop. In 2019, the global orange crop was the smallest it has been in over a decade.

This has had a major impact on the price of orange juice. In the past year, the price of orange juice has more than doubled. In some cases, it has even tripled.

This is bad news for consumers, who are now paying more for their OJ. But it’s also bad news for the orange juice industry, which is struggling to cope with the high prices.

Some experts believe that the high prices of orange juice are here to stay. They say that the citrus greening disease is too destructive to be stopped, and that the global climate is changing in ways that are making it more difficult to grow oranges.

Others are more optimistic. They say that the citrus industry is resilient, and that it will eventually find a way to adapt to the challenges it faces.

Only time will tell who is right. But one thing is for sure: the high prices of orange juice are a sign of the times.

In addition to the high prices, the citrus crisis is also having a negative impact on the environment. The use of pesticides to control citrus greening disease is harming bees and other pollinators. And the drought in Brazil is causing water shortages and water pollution.

The citrus crisis is a complex problem with no easy solutions. But it is a problem that we need to address. The future of the orange juice industry, and the environment, depends on it.

Here are some things that you can do to help:

  • Buy organic orange juice. Organic orange juice is grown without pesticides, which is better for the environment and for bees.
  • Reduce your consumption of orange juice. If you don’t need to drink orange juice every day, try to cut back.
  • Support sustainable citrus farming practices. There are a number of sustainable citrus farming practices that can help to reduce the impact of citrus greening disease. Ask your local orange juice producer about their sustainability practices.

By taking these steps, you can help to support the citrus industry and the environment.

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John D. Kiambuthi
John D. Kiambuthi

Written by John D. Kiambuthi

Corporate Finance & Securities Analyst stuck between a bull and a bear. Finding balance between risk & reward in a chaotic market. Humorous approach to finance.

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