Labor shortage threatens citrus

The Associated Press |
Posted July 11, 2006


TA LLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said Monday it is ironic that millions of Florida oranges could waste because of a shortage of fruitpickers during a national debate over the country's immigration laws.

Orange production in the state could become the lowest since 1992 if the worst projections come true. That year, growers harvested 139.8 million boxes.

"It's interesting that we have this flurry of activity regarding illegal immigrants and all the problems, yet we have shortages in critical areas of our state, given the growth of our economy," Bush said.

"You know, obviously, we don't want to have fresh oranges that can't be processed during harvesting time."

The citrus season usually ends in late June but will extend to at least late July this year, with juice processors hoping to get as many oranges as possible off trees.

"It's not just the migrants that are going to be affected; it's going to be the growers, the farmers and how many if they can't make a living, if they can't get their crops picked," Bronson said.

"How many of those acres are going to be developed because they can't afford to stay there with the system of no labor to pick their crop?"

As many as 6 million boxes of oranges may go unharvested in Florida this year because of a shortage of fruitpickers.

Growers have reported difficulty finding enough workers. Industry officials say the labor supply was tight from the beginning of the season in October but grew worse by the middle of May, when a large number of Hispanics seemed to leave the state.


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