As growers and shippers in Florida are working towards the start of the Florida citrus season, they're welcoming good news on tariffs from the Canadian government. That news is the lifting of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. product, including oranges and orange juice, as of September 1st.
"This news can only be positive for Florida oranges," says Doug Feek of Feek Family Citrus. "We believe it will be good for us and for the industry. We think the importers for the Canadian market will be a bit more optimistic, and hopefully the consumers will welcome our product, which I believe they have been lately."
© Feek Family Citrus
Tariffs and 2024-2025 season
Feek Family Citrus finished its 2024-2025 season in May-June, and at the end of the Florida season, the Canadian market shipments had stopped. "We've already had some discussions with some importers for this upcoming season, and they all seem to be excited," he says. "We'll definitely be shipping more fruit there. We lost a big part of last season because of the tariffs."
Looking ahead at the season, the other good news for Florida growers and shippers is the shaping up of what looks to be a good crop for 2025-2026. Feek estimates orange production should be up between 50-100 percent over last season. That season was a particularly tough one, which saw the effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton damage some of the crop from the state. "This crop looks clean and the sugars look up–sizing looks up a little bit," says Feek, adding that the season is anticipated to start similar to historical timing in late October. "We're pretty excited about the orange season this year," he says.
For more information:
Doug Feek
Feek Family Citrus
Tel: +1 (772) 778-2550
[email protected]
https://feekfamilycitrus.com/