Citrus Production in India: Key Regions and Output Statistics

India is one of the world’s leading producers of citrus fruits, and the numbers reflect the scale of this industry. Citrus cultivation spans 412.33 thousand hectares across the country, yielding an annual production of 5,303.85 thousand metric tons. From the mandarin-rich belts of central India to the lime orchards of Gujarat and the hill-grown varieties of the northeast, India’s diverse geography has made it a natural home for a wide range of citrus crops. Understanding where and how much is grown is fundamental for anyone involved in horticulture, agri-business, or agricultural policy.

India’s position in global citrus production 🔗

According to a 2024 study published in the Horticulture International Journal, citrus ranks as the third most important fruit crop in India by area under cultivation, trailing only banana and mango. The country’s average yield, however, remains significantly below that of leading producers – India reports around 8.8 tonnes per hectare compared to 22-35 tonnes per hectare achieved in countries like Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, and the USA.

The ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI) notes that India currently produces over 10.76 million metric tonnes of citrus annually from approximately 1.40 million hectares, and the country stands first globally in acid lime and lemon production. Research published in PMC indicates that India accounts for around 7-8% of total global citrus output, placing it consistently among the top five producers worldwide.

Citrus species and area distribution in India 🔗

India cultivates four primary categories of citrus: mandarins, sweet oranges, limes, and lemons. These are not evenly distributed – each type has distinct agroclimatic preferences, which is why their cultivation is concentrated in specific regions.

Mandarins 🔗

Mandarins dominate Indian citrus cultivation in terms of both area and production. As per the National Horticulture Board (NHB), mandarin (Citrus reticulata) alone occupies nearly 40% of the total area under citrus in India. Key commercial cultivars include Nagpur Mandarin (central India), Kinnow (north-west India), Coorg Mandarin (south India), and Khasi Mandarin (north-east India). Research data from ResearchGate confirms that mandarins recorded the highest production among all citrus categories at 6.22 million tonnes across 0.47 million hectares in 2020-21.

Sweet oranges 🔗

Sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) rank second in area under cultivation. Popular varieties include Mosambi and Sathgudi. Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana are the top sweet orange-producing states, with Andhra Pradesh averaging an impressive 17.0 tonnes per hectare – well above the national citrus average.

Limes and lemons 🔗

Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia) and lemon follow in terms of cultivated area. The commercial cultivar Kagzi lime is widely grown across the country. Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh lead in lemon area, while Gujarat, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh are the top states for lime and lemon production. At the global level, India and Mexico top the charts for lemon production.

Major citrus-producing states 🔗

Several states drive the bulk of India’s citrus output, each specializing in specific varieties suited to their local conditions.

Madhya Pradesh 🔗

Madhya Pradesh stands first in orange production in India, a position driven by its suitable agroclimatic conditions for large-scale cultivation. The state has also shown the highest percentage increase in fruit crop area between 2011 and 2022 at 73.83%, indicating rapid expansion of citrus cultivation in the region.

Maharashtra 🔗

Maharashtra is India’s second largest fruit-producing state overall, and citrus is its second most important fruit crop. The Vidarbha and Marathwada regions offer ideal growing conditions, particularly for Nagpur mandarin. The four key citrus districts – Nagpur, Amravati, Wardha, and Akola – account for a substantial share of the state’s citrus output. In terms of productivity, some orchards in Vidarbha achieve yields of 19-25 tonnes per hectare.

Punjab 🔗

Punjab’s well-irrigated plains have made it a stronghold for Kinnow, a hybrid mandarin developed from King and Willow Leaf mandarin parents. According to ICAR-CCRI, Kinnow achieves an average productivity of 21.3 metric tonnes per hectare – more than double the national average. Punjab has also expanded its area under fruit crops by 36.48% in the decade from 2011 to 2022.

Andhra Pradesh 🔗

Andhra Pradesh is the leading state for sweet orange cultivation, primarily growing the Sathgudi variety. Its productivity in citrus stands at 17.0 tonnes per hectare, among the highest in the country. The state’s diverse agroclimatic zones support cultivation of multiple citrus types throughout the year.

Gujarat 🔗

Gujarat’s arid to semi-arid climate and well-drained soils are well suited to lime and lemon cultivation. The state is consistently among the top producers of limes and lemons, and its output contributes meaningfully to India’s standing as a global leader in acid lime production.

Key citrus-growing regions 🔗

Beyond state-level statistics, specific geographic belts within India are recognized for exceptional citrus quality and output.

The Nagpur belt, Maharashtra 🔗

The Nagpur belt in the Vidarbha region is India’s most iconic citrus zone. Nagpur Mandarin has been cultivated commercially in central India for over 100 years, and the city of Nagpur is widely referred to as the “Orange City of India.” The Nagpur Santra has earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, recognizing its distinctive quality. The Mrig (monsoon blossom) crop, which matures in February-March, also holds strong export potential since global mandarin arrivals are low during this period. Nagpur mandarin is considered one of the finest mandarins in the world, with exports reaching Bangladesh, Nepal, Gulf countries, and beyond.

Coorg (Kodagu), Karnataka 🔗

Coorg, in the hilly terrain of Karnataka, is a celebrated mandarin-growing region. Historical records from the University of California Riverside’s Citrus Variety Collection note that for centuries, Nagpur-type mandarins were cultivated in the Coorg district as seedling groves, making it one of India’s oldest citrus belts. The region’s cool microclimate, moderate temperatures, and generous rainfall create ideal conditions for the Coorg Mandarin, which is prized for its sweetness and aroma.

Jhalawar, Rajasthan 🔗

Jhalawar district in Rajasthan is popularly known as “Small Nagpur” and ranks second in orange production in the country. The key citrus belts of Bhawani Mandi, Jhalrapatan, and Pirawa are recognized in both national and international markets for their mandarin output.

Northeastern states – Assam and Meghalaya 🔗

In Assam, the Brahmaputra valley and Dibrugarh districts are well known for mandarin production, while the hills of Meghalaya – including the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia areas – support the distinct Khasi Mandarin. The northeast has gained institutional recognition as a citrus zone: ICAR-CCRI established its first Regional Research Centre for Citrus at Biswanath Chariali, Assam in 2017 to address the research and development needs of the region’s growing citrus industry. Assam has also expanded its fruit crop area by 28.27% between 2011 and 2022.

Economic importance and end uses of citrus fruits 🔗

Citrus fruits are commercially valuable not just for fresh consumption but across a wide range of applications. Orange is rich in vitamins C, A, and B along with phosphorus, and is consumed fresh or converted into juice, jam, squash, and syrup. The peel yields essential oils and citric acid that have significant international market value.

Globally, about 75% of citrus fruits are consumed fresh, while approximately 25% are processed into juices, jams, marmalades, and dehydrated products. In India, while fresh consumption dominates, citrus fruits worth over Rs. 10,000 crores are marketed every year, with Maharashtra alone accounting for Rs. 1,500 crores annually – the bulk of it from Nagpur mandarin. India currently processes only about 4-5% of its citrus output in formal food industries, indicating significant untapped potential in the processing sector.

Indian citriculture primarily adheres to traditional cultivars mainly grown for fresh consumption, whereas global trends favour processing-oriented varieties. This gap highlights both a challenge and an opportunity – developing high-yielding cultivars suited to juice processing could significantly boost the value of India’s citrus output and its competitiveness in international markets.

Productivity gap: a challenge that needs attention 🔗

Despite impressive production volumes, India’s average citrus yield of around 8.8-13 tonnes per hectare lags well behind global benchmarks of 22-35 tonnes per hectare in developed citrus-producing nations. The considerable variation in productivity depending on orchard management points to the fact that technological adoption – drip irrigation, disease management, and improved planting material – can significantly close this gap. Drip irrigation is particularly recommended in low-rainfall regions of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan to optimize water use while maximizing yields.

Institutions like the ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur play a central role in addressing these challenges through research in crop improvement, disease-free planting material certification, and extension services. The sustained growth in citrus area across states like Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan reflects genuine farmer interest in expanding citrus cultivation – the key now is to match that expansion with productivity improvements and better post-harvest infrastructure.

What do you think? Given India’s diverse agroclimatic conditions and its position as a leading citrus producer, what steps do you think are most critical to bridge the productivity gap with global benchmarks? And with only 4-5% of India’s citrus being processed formally, how can the country better leverage its citrus output for value addition and export growth?

References

1. https://medcraveonline.com/HIJ/status-of-production-and-trading-practices-of-citrus-in-india.html
2. https://icar.org.in/sites/default/files/2022-07/QRT-NAGPUR-01.pdf
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8639889/
4. https://nhb.gov.in/report_files/orange/orange.htm
5. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Area-and-Production-of-Citrus-Crop-in-India_tbl1_369912701
6. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382741661_Citrus_Farming_in_the_Vidarbha_Region_of_Maharashtra_An_Analysis_of_Present_Status_and_Grassroot_Constraints
7. https://ccri.icar.gov.in/icar-ccri/
8. https://citrusvariety.ucr.edu/crc3727
9. https://www.indianmirror.com/culture/indian-specialties/Nagpurorange.html
10. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Area-000-ha-and-production-000-MT-of-citrus-in-India_tbl1_369912701