DADE CITY — Florida orange growers whose groves have been stung by disease and pests are turning to peaches to diversify, sowing seeds of what could become Florida's next big crop.
"In three or four years you could see growers plant hundreds or a thousand acres per year," said Dan Sleep, a state Agriculture Department senior market analyst. "We're at a juncture where we may very well see sustained growth."
Though only a toe-hold now, peaches are slowly gaining ground in the citrus belt. Starting with 15 acres in Central Florida in 2006, growers now have 800 to 1,200 acres of peach trees in central, south and southwest Florida, including 40 to 50 acres in Pasco County — up from just 15 three years ago.
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