Economic Considerations
Mechanical harvesting of citrus in Florida could offer significant economic benefits, particularly in light of increasing labor costs and agricultural labor shortages. One of its primary advantages is the potential to reduce labor expenses. Because citrus harvesting is traditionally done by hand, it is highly labor-intensive, making labor a significant component of harvesting costs. In addition, given that domestic workers for harvesting are in short supply, harvesting companies in Florida (and other states) rely heavily on temporary foreign workers hired through the H-2A visa program to ensure crops are harvested in a timely manner. Mechanical harvesting can help mitigate these labor challenges by enabling fruit to be collected more quickly and with fewer workers. This increased productivity can translate into lower operational costs per acre.
The information provided on this website includes estimates of the performance of various mechanical harvesting technologies, including their potential cost savings and productivity improvements, as well as the barriers to their adoption. However, these estimates were developed in the mid to late 2000s, a time when citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing or HLB) was only beginning to spread in Florida. Since then, HLB has become endemic throughout the state and has had a profound impact on the citrus industry, primarily as a consequence of causing a significant decline in yield per acre. As a result, mechanical harvesting is unlikely to be economically feasible under current conditions. Nevertheless, the earlier estimates remain relevant and may prove useful if and when the challenges posed by HLB are effectively addressed.