Whether you’re just an amateur or an experienced fruits business retailer, understanding when oranges are in season is the central pillar of your business. Failure to understand seasons is setting your business to fail. But there is an easier way!
Easier Way: You don’t have to understand when the oranges are in season. You can partner with a supplier or exporter such as FrutPlanet exporters and let them handle the seasons and sourcing. All you need to do is request a quote for fresh oranges and let the exporter handle the rest.
However, if you’d love to take the long shot, that’s where this article is most helpful. We’ll help you understand the peak season for oranges by region. That way, you’ll know where to source if your supplies fall short.
Seasons For Oranges
Below are the different seasons in the world’s leading orange producers
No | Country | Off-peak Season | Peak Season | Production in Million Metric Tons |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brazil | May - October | June - August | 16.91 |
2 | China | November - April | December - February | 7.55 |
3 | The European Union | December - June | January - April | 6.1 |
4 | Mexico | November - May | December - February | 4.28 |
5 | The United States | November - May | December - April | 3.46 |
6 | Egypt | November - April | December - March | 3 |
7 | Turkey | December - March | January - February | 1.75 |
8 | South Africa | May - October | June - August | 1.6 |
9 | Morocco | November - June | January - April | 1.15 |
Brazil
Brazil produces 16.91 million tons of oranges annually, making it the largest orange producer in the world. The country’s warm and humid temperatures are ideal for oranges to thrive. For the 2020/21 season, the export totalled 198.34 thousand tons, a 13% increase from the previous season. This generated revenue accruing 297.53 USD and was 7% higher than the last season.
It is, however, predicted that the Brazilian orange export may go down in the future due to the production of smaller oranges and the low pace of consumption.
Orange season in Brazil runs from May to October, while the peak season for harvesting runs from June to August. Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais account for Brazil’s largest orange produce, the two states producing up to 80 percent of the country’s total production.
The varieties of oranges grown in Brazil include Natal, Bahia, Hamlin, Valencia, and Westin.
China
China comes second to Brazil with an annual production of 7.55 million tons. Following the effects of COVID-19, China’s imports and exports reduced significantly. The exports decreased by 331,500 tons, or 67.3%, while imports fell by 383,500 tons or 32.3%.
Living standards have increased, increasing fruit consumption and, consequently, the importation of oranges. China brought in the most oranges from South Africa in 2021, importing 175,123 USD, or 35.6% of all imports. As a trader, you can concentrate on the market and profit from the increasing import volume.
Orange seasons in China are in November, running through March or sometimes even April for the low orange seasons, while the peak seasons run from December to February. Jiangxi, Hubei, Fujian, Guangdong and Hunan are some of the provinces in China where oranges are grown.
China’s most common orange varieties are Naval, Valencia, and Mandarin.
The European Union
In the European Union, the Mediterranean regions are where oranges are mainly grown.
These countries include Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal and their to total production volume is over 6.1 million tons annually.
.During the 2018/19 season, 3.3 and 1.5 million tons of oranges were produced by Spain and Italy respectively, while the remaining countries produced less than a million tons each. Spain and Italy alone produce 80 percent of Europe’s total production while the remaining 20 percent is shared among the remaining countries
Spain’s orange exports generated over 1 billion euros during the 2018/19 season. Four hundred twenty thousand of these exports were shipped to Germany, Spain’s primary market.
Orange season in the European Union is distributed as follows:
Country | Off-peak seasons | Peak seasons | Volume in 1,000 tons (2018/19) |
---|---|---|---|
Spain | November – April | January – March | 3,731 |
Italy | November – May | January – April | 1,500 |
Portugal | November - February | December – April | 920 |
Greece | May - November | December - April | 344 |
Mexico
Mexico ranks fourth worldwide, producing up to 4.28 million tons of oranges annually. Orange exports generate around 1.03 billion USD annually. The main export destinations for Mexican oranges include the United States, Japan, Canada, and South Korea.
Due to tree damage and severe weather conditions over multiple seasons, orange production in Mexico is expected to reduce greatly in the 2022/23 season. Domestic consumption has reduced by one percent while export demand remains strong.
The states where oranges are grown in Mexico include Veracruz, Sinaloa, Michoacan, and Tamaulipas. Some of the Varieties of oranges that thrive in Mexico include Valencia, Hamlin, and Navel. Veracruz produces most oranges in Mexico, up to 49 percent of the country’s production.
Mexico’s primary seasons run from December to February, and November through to May for the secondary seasons.
The United States
The United States ranks among the top largest producers of oranges worldwide. With an average of 3.46 million tons annually, it comes fifth after Mexico.
Revenue generated by oranges in the United States during the 2021/22 season totalled 1.5 million USD. This was a reduction compared to the 1.6 million USD from the previous season.
The United State’s primary season runs from December to April, and November through to May for the off-peak season.
In Florida, the largest producer of oranges in the United States, the orange season runs from October to June. In California, the orange season runs from November to May. Some orange varieties harvested during the peak orange season in the United States include Navel and Valencia.
Wrap Up
There is no one fit-all in orange seasons; each region has its timeline. The difference in seasons is mainly influenced by climate and soil productivity. And since it’s not easy, as a busy business owner, to keep up with all these regions and their seasons, we propose you partner with FrutPlanet Exporters.
FrutPlanet is a reliable bulk exporter and supplier of fruits and vegetables, including oranges. We have been helping businesses ease how they source, process, and export products for years. We export fruits and vegetables globally, but most customers are in Europe, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Asia, and the Middle East. You can contact us with inquiries via email or request a quote now.