Orange production in Brazil’s citrus belt is forecast to drop by almost a third during the 2018-19 season, according to an industry association. The decline is attributed to disease, mainly citrus canker and citrus greening (HLB). The number of properties producing oranges over the last few years has shrunk by 20%. Sao Paolo Agriculture Secretary Francisco Jardin said that although the state’s orange industry remains one of the largest in the world, the high number of abandoned groves was a concern.
