Citrus Greening and the Future of an Industry
Author: Michael Ross Roka
Publisher:
Published: 2011
Total Pages: 114
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe nine billion dollar Florida citrus industry stands at a crossroad, poised at an economic precipice that, if ignored, could not only spell the end of an industry, but also significantly impact the state's economy. The above-mentioned crossroad stems from the appearance and rapid spread of the bacterial disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB) or what is commonly referred to as "citrus greening." The purpose of this paper is to examine the social and economic forces surrounding HLB and determine whether a mandatory tree eradication program is necessary. HLB is not the first threat that Florida citrus has faced over the years. The industry has encountered crises in the past in the various forms of other diseases such as the citrus tristeza virus, citrus blight, and citrus canker, as well as natural catastrophes such as hurricanes and freezes. What makes the threat of of HLB so serious, however, is that there is not only no cure to the disease, but also there is no current long-term industry-wide strategy in place to deal with this disease. If left unchecked, HLB renders a tree unproductive, and the current actions being taken to fight the disease by Florida growers are far from being universally accepted or applied. One reason behind Florida's uncoordinated response to HLB is rooted in the frustration still felt from the policies related to past attempts to eradicate citrus canker. With citrus, and particularly with respect to the production of juice oranges, costs have risen dramatically in the past few years due in large part to HLB management practices. It is crucial that a solution or at least a stopgap strategy be found to control the adverse effects from HLB. After an examination of both the economic and social forces at work behind both the disease and response to the disease, it is clear that a mandatory eradication program is necessary to combat the current crisis of HLB and safeguard the citrus industry from potential annihilation.
