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Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 7:53 am
by flcracker
Will be growing houses instead of oranges. Say goodbye to the undeveloped inland areas of Florida.
https://www.wesh.com/article/major-flor ... /63361706#
A major grower said this week it was abandoning its citrus growing operations, reflecting the headwinds Florida's signature crops are facing following a series of hurricanes and tree diseases.
Alico Inc. announced Monday that it planned to wind down its citrus operations after the current crop is harvested later this year. About 3,400 citrus acres (1,376 hectares) will be managed by third-party caretakers for another season through 2026.
The Fort Myers-based company owns 53,371 acres (21,598.5 hectares) across eight counties in Florida and 48,700 acres (19,708 hectares) of oil, gas and mineral rights in the state. About a quarter of its land holdings will now be slotted for potentially developing commercial or residential projects in the near and long term future, the company said in a news release.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 9:26 am
by REDinFL
The entire state will be like Pinellas.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 2:55 pm
by OKIE
REDinFL wrote: ↑Wed Jan 08, 2025 9:26 am
The entire state will be like Pinellas.
Never thought I'd be happy about being old, won't see the worst of it.
I grew up on the north side of St Pete, 63-73, it's a lot different now.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:10 pm
by REDinFL
That's putting it mildly. I've been here 27 years and have seen many changes. In my area, there were some groves when I moved there, houses now on really cockeyed lots so the developer could squeeze in a few more. My wife is a Florida native, a rare species, from Lakeland. Lakeland is really getting more crowded. My late Father-in-Law used to point at places where they went "sledding" on folded cardboard down a steep hill; the same place is now paved over and is a slow moving parking lot.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:21 pm
by flcracker
Both of my parents were born in Orlando - Mom grew up there, Dad grew up in old Miam'ah. Me - Tampa, Winter Haven, Tampa, Pine Island, Tampa, and now Sarasota. I read somewhere recently that more people moved to Polk County last year than any other county in the US. I hate the cold and I love our beaches, but I hate the overcrowding here even more. Likely I'll do what Dad did when he got sick of what they've done to our state and retire to TN/KY/WV/IN and just visit grandmonkeys here in the winter.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:33 pm
by Flame Red
At least the Chi-Coms cannot buy it up now under the new Governator!
But you know that the Yankee KommieTards will be moving down if the housing prices go lower with all the extra inventory.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2025 3:34 pm
by REDinFL
My wife and I have been talking about moving, too. Partly because of crowding, partly the insurance costs. We'll be here a while yet because her mom in Lakeland is pushing 92 and weakening, so we want to be in reasonable driving distance. We've been talking GA. But, neither one of us wants the cold, so not too far north. May still stay in FL, maybe Ocala-Gainesville or Crystal River. Still up in the air. But Pinellas and Tampa, I-4, I might as well still be in NY.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:45 pm
by Outgunu
This is more about citrus greening and less about land development. Citrus greening is real and there is no fix for it. I have lost most of my citrus trees, and the ones that have survived have fruit that no longer taste good. University of Florida has been working had to find a remedy for the problem for years, but NOTHING works very well. About 15 years ago the Department of Agriculture asked if they could put sticky traps in my trees to check on what bugs they would find. I told them they could, but they never told me what they found, they have known about this for a long time.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2025 5:50 pm
by George W
Outgunu wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:45 pm
This is more about citrus greening and less about land development. Citrus greening is real and there is no fix for it. I have lost most of my citrus trees, and the ones that have survived have fruit that no longer taste good. University of Florida has been working had to find a remedy for the problem for years, but NOTHING works very well. About 15 years ago the Department of Agriculture asked if they could put sticky traps in my trees to check on what bugs they would find. I told them they could, but they never told me what they found, they have known about this for a long time.
Agreed. My family lost almost 500 acres of grove to Greening. Most was sold off to developers. Selling for $125k/acre versus spending $25k/acre and and waiting 10 years for a decent crop to come in wasn't palatable. Only my Grandmother decided to replant 20 acres. After $400k of spending, it too was taken by Greening. Thankfully, she passed before watching it get razed too.
Re: Alico (Ben Hill Griffin) exiting citrus market
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2025 8:41 pm
by 45caldan
Here in Lakeland myself.
As mentioned it’s going bonkers with the building.
I have been talking with my wife about moving when we retire in the next few years.
TN looks good to me.
Her daughter lives in Nashville and like FL, no state income tax.
Even though her daughter is in Nashville, that is still way too big so not there!