Only 8,500 acres are cultivated for oranges, state officials said. All is not bad news with the grapefruit harvest. Citrus experts say the fruit has shown a good sugar content early in the season, which is positive news for the future harvest. Growers also hope to sell to companies that sell citrus as a holiday gift item. Those distributors want the best-looking fruit to ship in elaborate packaging for customers.
Growers receive a premium for fruit sold to gift companies because of the extra work involved.
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