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Citrus

Benefits of Citrus

Citrus is one of the major fruit crops globally, and citrus fruits are grown in more than 140 countries around the world. Oranges, lemons, tangerines and grapefruits are among the most commonly grown citrus types, and they are mainly traded and consumed as fresh fruit, juice, or concentrate. 

Commodity in focus


Citrus is one of the most popular and widely grown fruit crops in the world. Citrus and its products are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre that are essential for overall nutritional well-being. Among the most commonly cultivated types, oranges account for more than half of world citrus production and are the most widely traded citrus fruit, followed by tangerines, lemons and grapefruits. World citrus production and export have grown steadily over the past three decades, although at a slower pace than competing fruits, such as mangoes, avocados, and melons. 

Publications
Citrus fruit fresh and processed - Statistical Bulletin 2016
01/01/2017

FAO SO4 sets up a FAO ambitious goal to improve market transparency and poverty reduction. The annual citrus bulletin, compiled based on the production and trade survey provided by the member nations, provides unique information on market developments, which contributes to greater market transparency and is widely used by the member governments and citrus growers for decision-making. In particular, given the unique source of information and scope of data coverage, the bulletin is the solo comp rehensive information source over the citrus market world.

Citrus Fruits Statistics 2015
01/01/2016

This is the 2015 edition of the annual compilation of statistics related to the international production, trade, and processing into juice of citrus fruits with grower and wholesale prices. The fruits covered are oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes and grapefruit. The statistics are disaggregated by fruit, by year, by region and by country from 1981/2 to 2013/14.

 

Citrus plants originate from the tropical and subtropical regions in Asia and Oceania.

 

The major citrus producing countries include China, Brazil and the United States of America.

 

Citrus fruits constitute a key source of vitamin C and provide a multitude of other essential nutrients.

 

In addition to fresh fruit and juice, citrus is grown to produce oil and citric acid, while citrus by-products are mainly used as animal feed.

 Citrus species are perennial, and the average lifespan of a citrus tree is 50 years or more.
 The citrus industry is very diverse, and citrus fruits are grown on small, medium, large, and very large farms.

Citrus production and trade have continuously increased in recent decades. 

Oranges account for more than half of the global citrus output and represent over 40 percent of world citrus exports. 

Citrus fruits face growing competition from other fruits and other food product categories.

About one-third of the citrus fruit produced worldwide is used for processing. 

Citrus fruits are grown in more than 140 countries across the world.