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Florida Farm Commodities
 Citrus
Florida Farm Commodities

Floridas total citrus production reached a record with more than 300 million boxes harvested in 1997-98; and, despite depressed prices, increased its total value to $1,555,959,000 and its on-tree value to $974,469,000.

Florida also increased its overwhelming lead as the nation No. 1 citrus producing state with 79.9 percent of all U.S. citrus production.

Florida bearing citrus acreage also climbed to a record 845,260 acres, despite a small decline in grapefruit acreage. Florida now has a record 107,110,200 commercial citrus trees.

Florida Citrus Production and Value
 

Crop Year

Bearing Acreage

Production (box)

On-Tree Value

1997-98

1996-97

1995-96

1994-95

1993-94

785,900

815,100

773,500

731,700

665,800

304,450,000

295,315,000

265,272,000

271,020,000

235,760,000

$974,469,000

$960,496,000

$1,118,957,000

$901,054,000

$916,959,000

1992-93

1991-92

1990-91

1989-90

1988-89

639,300

583,400

555,700

534,600

528,700

251,540,000

191,815,000

205,560,000

154,185,000

213,850,000

$865,477,000

$1,208,405,000

$1,236,126,000

$952,303,000

$1,429,808,000

1986-87

1985-86

1979-80

1969-70

1959-60

514,500

507,800

758,400

817,100

643,600

181,530,000

176,015,000

283,550,000

189,015,000

125,570,000

$941,078,000

$725,035,000

$1,440,698,000

$408,125,000

$381,000,000
Box = 90 Pounds
Source: Florida Agricultural Statistics Service

Leading Citrus-Producing States --- 1997-98
State

Bearing Acreage

Production (tons)

Total Value
Florida

California

Arizona

Texas

785,900

270,500

33,100

32,600

13,584,250

4,003,000

185,000

250,000

$1,555,959,000

$975,395,000

$40,450,000

$28,488,000
U.S. Total

1,122,100

18,029,000

$2,600,292,000

Source: U.S. Agricultural Statistics Service

Leading Citrus-Producing States --- 1997-98

Leading Florida Citrus-Producing Counties --- 1997-98
 

County

Total Acres

Total Trees

Total Production (box)

Estimated On-Tree Value
Polk

Highlands

DeSoto

Hendry

Hardee

102,457

75,909

67,192

100,124

52,340

11,620,600

9,949,300

8,752,400

15,408,500

5,928,700

40,350,000

31,605,000

29,878,000

1,633,000

23,681,000

$138,483,000

$105,059,000

$104,908,000

$100,654,000

$82,895,000
St. Lucie

Martin

Hillsborough Collier

Indian River

103,894

46,439

27,428

35,655

64,138

12,109,000

6,323,100

2,918,100

5,251,000

6,945,600

31,646,000

14,271,000

11,935,000

11,313,000

20,437,000

$56,193,000

$45,602,000

$40,908,000

$36,141,000

$35,885,000
Manatee

Lake

Osceola

Pasco

Charlotte

23,807

20,864

15,535

11,360

21,522

2,876,500

2,815,000

1,696,600

1,488,500

3,171,800

9,961,000

7,097,000

6,933,000

4,921,000

5,633,000

$33,571,000

$22,054,000

$21,925,000

$17,257,000

$17,147,000
Lee

Orange

Okeechobee

Glades

Palm Beach

11,871

9,188

12,244

10,776

10,617

1,649,200

1,101,100

1,487,600

1,683,800

1,418,200

3,709,000

3,407,000

3,469,000

3,203,000

3,595,000

$12,021,000

$11,319,000

$10,950,000

$10,770,000

$8,850,000
Brevard

Sarasota

Seminole

Volusia

10,715

2,332

1,411

1,477

1,114,300

253,900

142,500

144,400

2,490,000

912,000

430,000

408,000

$6,885,000

$2,538,000

$1,429,000

$1,238,000
All others

175

24,600

210,000

$531,000
Florida Total

845,260

107,110,200

303,890,000

$974,469,000

Citrus Facts .....
  • Citrus originated in the Malay Archipelago and in Southeast Asia, and spread westward to India and the Mediterranean before Columbus brought the first seeds to the New World (Haiti) in 1493.
  • The exact date of introduction of citrus into Florida is unknown, but Pedro Medendez noted on April 2, 1579, that it was growing in abundance in the St. Augustine area.
  • Floridas first cultivated grove was planted in Pinellas County sometime between 1803 and 1820.
  • Florida produced 1.5 billion gallons of single strength equivalent citrus juice in 1997-98

Return to Florida Agricultural Facts Book
Return to Florida Agricultural Statistics Service
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