The end of Florida orange juice

Orange juice supply and demand has stayed on a 15-year nose dive. This year's Florida crop is the smallest since the 1940's and may be no longer grown in Florida soon.

Hurricane Irma has destroyed 70% of this year's Florida orange crop, according to the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. High winds from Irma have knocked unripe oranges from branches before they can ripen and can be sold.

A plant disease called "greening", has infected every Florida orange grove. This disease has become so widespread that it may destroy the state's entire orange crop soon. There is no cure. Growers fear their orange groves may be totally destroyed before one can be found.

Also, people's taste for orange juice has taken a nose dived. In the U.S., many people no longer eat breakfast, a time of the day most people are most likely to drink orange juice.

Florida's main competitor, Brazil, is also experiencing major declines in sales, crop harvests, and demand. Brazil produces half the world's orange juice.

In Great Britain, Brazil's largest orange juice market, coconut water has replaced 80 per cent of the orange juice market.

Here is a story from the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) about Brazil's losing battle to maintain market share in orange juice consumption:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-39946461

Here are two articles from last week's Wall Street Journal outlining the pending death of the Florida orange:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/floridas-orange-industry-symbol-of-a-state-is-dying-1506437044

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-florida-orange-state-icon-is-dying-2017-09-27