Ag Minute: Citrus
- Sangamon County News
- May 2
- 2 min read
National Lemonade Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in May each year, and National Orange Juice Day is observed on May 4th. As a result, in 2025, these citrusy celebrations coincide on Sunday, May 4th. This makes it an opportune time to take a look at the U.S. citrus industry, which includes primarily oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, limes and lemons. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, citrus production for the 2023–24 season in the U.S. totaled 5.24 million tons, which was a 6% increase from the previous season. California, with 266,200 bearing citrus acres, is far and away the production leading state, with 79% of total U.S. citrus production in 2023-24 coming from the Golden State. Florida has nearly as many citrus bearing acres, 249,800 acres, but comes in far behind California in production, with Florida accounting for only 17% of U.S. citrus production. Texas (13,400 bearing citrus acres) and Arizona (3,100 bearing citrus acres) follow with approximately 4% production share each.
With its mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, California has ideal climate conditions for cultivating citrus. While Florida’s subtropical climate, characterized by warm temperatures and abundant rainfall, also provides good citrus growing conditions, Florida’s citrus production has been hampered in recent years by tropical storms, hurricanes, and citrus greening disease, a disease carried by the Asian citrus psyllid, a small sap-sucking insect first detected in Florida in 2005. Oranges are the primary citrus fruit produced in Florida, and traditionally, Florida has produced more oranges than California. However, as a result of these challenges, in the past two decades, orange production in Florida has dropped substantially, from 150 million boxes in 2005 to 20.5 million boxes in 2024. In the orange industry, the basic unit of measurement is the fruit box. A box is defined as containing 90 pounds of fruit.
While Illinois’ climate is not well-suited for citrus production, the University of Illinois Extension offers tips for those wishing to grow citrus indoors as a houseplant. Sweeter fruits, like oranges, require high temperatures to produce sugars. Sour fruits, like lemons and limes, require less heat to ripen and are better suited for growing indoors. Growing citrus to fruit is not an easy task. For example, citrus plants require 6 hours of direct sunlight per day and supplemental lighting is often necessary. Hand pollination is often required, and citrus fruit can take a long time to ripen.
To review the University of Illinois Extension article “Growing Sunshine: Cultivating Citrus Indoors,” please visit:
