Orange Juice Prices Surge Amid Nationwide Orange Shortage

Guy Davies, an inspector of the Florida Division of Plant Industry, shows an orange that is showing signs of 'citrus greening' that is caused by the Asian citrus psyllid that carries the bacterium causing disease, 'citrus greening' or huanglongbing, from tree to tree in Fort Pierce, Fla., on May 13, 2013. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Prices for orange juice are surging amid a nationwide shortage of oranges; it is likely that the United States will see its worst domestic orange harvest season since World War II, according to new predictions from the Department of Agriculture.

The shortage is attributable to a low yield in Florida, which is responsible for the majority of orange crops in the United States. This year, Florida is expected to produce 44.5 million standard 90-pound boxes of oranges—three percent lower than the yields predicted in December.