Florida Oranges Production

Florida has been a world leader in the growing of oranges since the first commercial farms were established there in the 1840s. At present, the state is responsible for over seventy percent of US orange production. About ninety-five percent of these oranges are processed into orange juice. Why so much? Allow us a moment to explain.

Because of the warmer, wetter climate, Florida oranges are typically 25 percent heavier (juicier) than oranges grown in other states. They also have thinner skins, which means that they bruise more easily. As you might expect, this bruising does not make for good eating, which is why Florida is not known for its fresh oranges. California oranges are far more popular and prevalent in the fresh fruit market.

Of course, it took fruit famers in Florida several centuries to discover this. Before that time the orange was the oldest and most popular citrus crop in the state. Legend has it that it was Columbus himself who brought orange seeds to Florida on one of his voyages, though this is debatable. What we do know, however, is that another famous explorer, Ponce del Leon, was the first to plant citrus trees in Florida in 1513.

Reports of orange trees growing in Saint Augustine, Florida date back to the mid-16th century. Decades later, the first groves were cultivated in the port city of Tampa. Other citrus fruits like the lemon and the grapefruit were also planted, but local populations preferred the orange.

By the late nineteenth century the orange was the most popular and profitable cash crop in the state, but there were trouble on the horizon. The transcontinental railroad had given consumers across the nation access to California oranges, which most customers preferred. Though they were not nearly as juicy as the Florida varieties, they did have thicker skins and were less likely to bruise.

Because few families had access to a refrigerator, juicing was not an option. Fresh fruit juice could only keep for a few days at room temperature. But with the discovery and popularization of pasteurization, unrefrigerated juices could be stored on shelves and transported across the nation without going bad.

It didn’t take long for Florida fruit farmers to put two and two together. Not only did they have the largest orange crop in the country, but they also had the juiciest oranges. In 1915, the first orange processing plant in the US was established in Haines City, Florida. The Florida Fruit Products Company, Inc. started purchasing crops from local farmers and processing the juice. As OJ became the breakfast fruit juice of choice, the industry continued to expand.

Improved production techniques and the popularity of frozen concentrated orange juice in the 1940s gave birth to an enormous orange industry in the Sunshine State. Today, the orange accounts for about twenty percent of Florida’s agriculture production.

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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