The Packer noted this week that lemons could top $50 per box this year due to frost in Chile and the drought in California in this article posted here. Lemons are no longer grown commercially in Florida due to the severe frosts of the 1970’s, which wiped out many groves, according to the Tampa Bay Times article here. But with recent warming and less frequent frosts, producers may be starting to consider lemons again. A December article in the Pensacola New Journal noted that milder winters, along with better growing techniques and more hardy varieties, are sparking a modest citrus industry in the Florida panhandle, north of where most citrus are grown because of the likelihood of frost. There is also some interest in growing satsumas and other cold-tolerant varieties in southern Georgia. With an improving market for “local” fruit and less frequent frosts in the future, lemons, limes and other citrus could expand northward in the Southeast in future years.
