Florida Orange Crop May Be Reduced by La Nina, MDA’s Tapley Says

Orange output in Florida, the world’s largest grower after Brazil, may be reduced as a La Nina weather pattern brings an unusual dry spell, according to forecaster MDA Information Systems Inc.

Abnormal dryness has expanded along the East Coast of southern Florida and around Lake Okeechobee, the National Drought Mitigation Center said in a report yesterday. Rainfall in the state as of mid-November totaled 29.6 inches (75.2 centimeters) since the end of March, down 36 percent from the five-year average, according to Bloomberg data.