Posts Tagged “Florida citrus production”
Florida’s commercial citrus acreage declined in 2026, while citrus output increased during the 2025-2026 season, according to two USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports released on August 27, 2026.
Total citrus acreage stands at 165,359 acres (66,919 hectares), down 21 per cent from the previous annual survey. The industry recorded a gross loss of 48,027 acres (19,436 hectares) and 5,200 acres (2,104 hectares) of new plantings, resulting in a net loss of 42,827 acres (17,332 hectares). In 2025, total citrus acreage was 208,186 acres (84,250 hectares).
Orange acreage declined 22 per cent to 143,650 acres (58,133 hectares). Valencia oranges account for 67 per cent of total orange acreage, while non-Valencia varieties represent 31 per cent. Grapefruit acreage decreased 10 per cent to 11,456 acres (4,636 hectares), while specialty fruit acreage declined 11 percent to 10,253 acres (4,149 hectares). Tangerines and tangelos account for 4,813 acres (1,948 hectares) of specialty citrus.
All 23 published counties recorded acreage declines. Polk County registered the largest reduction, losing 10,944 acres (4,429 hectares), but remained the leading county with 37,529 total acres (15,187 hectares). Highlands County followed with 34,671 acres (14,031 hectares).
Despite the reduction in acreage, Florida’s citrus crop increased during 2025-2026. All citrus output reached 15.7 million boxes, up 7 per cent from 14.7 million boxes in the previous season. Orange output increased 5 per cent to 13.0 million boxes. Non-Valencia oranges reached 4.77 million boxes, up 4 per cent, while Valencia oranges increased 7 per cent to 8.18 million boxes.
Grapefruit output increased 4 per cent to 1.35 million boxes. Tangerine and tangelo output was up 15 per cent from the previous season, while lemon output increased 34 per cent.
Polk was the largest citrus-producing county at 3.27 million boxes, followed by Highlands at 3.07 million boxes, Desoto at 1.66 million boxes, St. Lucie at 1.40 million boxes, and Hardee at 1.31 million boxes. Together, these counties accounted for 73 per cent of the state’s total citrus output.
Polk remained Florida’s top citrus county in the 2014-15 season, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It led Florida citrus production with more than 16.8 million boxes, or 15 percent of the state total.
Polk ranked second in production of oranges with more than 15.2 million boxes – 16 percent of total state production of 96.8 million boxes – and just 19,000 boxes behind top-ranked Hendry County. It led in “specialty citrus” production, tangerines and tangelos, at 915,000 boxes, or 31 percent of percent of Florida production.
Polk’s 2014-15 grapefruit harvest was 670,000 boxes, third highest in the state behind Indian River and St. Lucie counties, each with nearly 5 million grapefruit boxes.
Still Polk County citrus production fell compared to the past several seasons, as it has across the state. In 2013-14, Polk growers harvested 19.9 million boxes of citrus, including 17.5 million orange boxes, 1.2 million grapefruit boxes and nearly 1.2 million tangerine and tangelo boxes.
Polk had the most citrus grove land in Florida with 80,488 acres, the USDA reported. That was down 1.6 percent from 81,810, half the statewide loss of 3 percent.
Trailing Polk were DeSoto County citrus with 66,302 acres, Hendry County with 64,063 acres, Highlands County with 58,287 acres and Hardee County with 58,287 acres. None of the remaining 23 major citrus-producing counties has more than 30,000.
Polk also ranks No. 1 in the citrus tree count with 9.9 million trees, the USDA reported. Following are Hendry with 9.7 million trees, DeSoto with 8.9 million trees, Highlands with 7.7 million trees and Hardee with 6 million commercial citrus trees.