The Lake Wales cooperative (central Florida), which encompasses a thousand or so producers and 25 000 ha of orchards, has decided to set up a new planting financial assistance programme, after the success of the one launched in 2014. A budget of 13.5 million USD has been set aside (10 million for the orange, 3 million for the grapefruit and 500 000 USD for the lemon). Each tree planted will receive 10 USD of aid, though replanting is ineligible. This amount covers just under quarter of the direct costs of planting, disregarding the orchard maintenance required before it starts to bear fruit (estimated at 35 USD). Producers must for their part commit to supplying the produce from these orchards to Florida Natural for ten years for the orange, and twenty years for the grapefruit. The 1.3 million trees planted should eventually produce just under 3 million field crates.
Sources: Reefer Trends, The Ledger
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