Why Orange Juice Prices Are So High (And Will Probably Stay That Way)

Whether you love a glass of orange juice in the morning or use it as the best mixer for tequila, you've probably noticed that the price of a carton at your local grocer has skyrocketed since the start of the year. What gives? Are the price hikes a product of inflation? Unfortunately, the rising price of orange juice has little to do with the economy, and as such, there are no policies to support that could potentially bring relief on that front. Instead, the spike in OJ prices is primarily due to decreased production in the wake of extreme weather and botanical disease, according to CNBC.  

The disease in question is citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing. It first sprang up in Florida around 2005. Despite the best efforts to control it, it now poses a threat to the entire American citrus industry. Over the past 20 years, citrus production in Florida has decreased by roughly 90% because of this disease, which is fatal to trees once contracted. 

Compounding this is the extreme weather faced by locations we rely on for orange production. Aside from the disease they face, trees in Florida were devastated by Hurricane Ian in 2022, while crops in Spain faced drought a year later. Adding to that, production in Brazil suffered this year thanks to greening, and because they are the largest orange juice importer to the US, prices have jumped exceptionally high. Moreover, because Brazil's also struggling with drought, which has forced their harvests to record lows, it's unlikely consumers will see any relief at the grocery store anytime soon.  

Due to the difficulties facing the citrus industry in regard to disease and weather-related crop shortages, some orange juice brands are beginning to consider alternative fruits to keep up with demand. The British company Coldpress, for instance, introduced mandarin orange juice earlier this year due to rising orange prices. Speaking with the Financial Times, Kees Cools, the president of the International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association, stated that the industry was in a state of crisis and that using other citrus fruits could be the key to long-term sustainability. 

Luckily, according to Citrus Industry Magazine, the production of mandarins and tangerines was forecast by the USDA to rise about 3% between 2023 and 2024, giving the industry something to fall back on if major manufacturers choose to pursue other fruit juices. 

However, until more companies make the switch to alternative citrus juices en masse, these plans do little to soothe the sting of what orange juice costs right now. While frozen orange juice concentrate is one way to get your fix for less, it often pales in comparison to the taste of bottled juice. Aside from that, checking for specials and coupons for OJ at your local grocers, like Aldi, Costco, and Walmart, might be your best bet for finding slightly better prices.