Oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world.In fact, most of their appeal lies in the fact that the smell is very pleasant to our olfactory receptors. Now you know why that orange juice you had gave you so much joy!Oranges make the body cells stronger and more resistant to damage, help in the production of collagen which amplifies the wound healing process, make iron absorption easier in our body, boost the immune system against various diseases.There is a certain type of orange that has captured the attention of the world and that is Florida orange. Florida orange, as you might’ve guessed, got its name from Florida in the United States of America.Read on to know more about Florida oranges and their importance for the economy of the state. Afterward, also check floods in Venice and Florida manatee facts.Why are oranges important to Florida?One of the main reasons why oranges are so suited in Florida has to do with the fact that Florida has the best climate condition for the growth of oranges.You may recall that Florida has always been shown as a very fun-loving beachy state with glowing sunshine readily available to the people. That is actually very true!Florida is a state which is covered by water bodies on all three sides. Add to that the abundant sunshine it receives and you have land ready for the growth of juicy Florida oranges.The citrus produced in Florida is one of the pillars of its economy. Florida citrus production adds about $9 million to the economy every day while providing about 45,000 jobs per year!That isn’t the end of its economic endeavors. The industry with its citrus produced from orange trees and its byproducts is valued at about $4.7 billion. The tax collection is also increased by this industry with almost $360 million being contributed towards taxes. In fact, the citrus exported to other countries and states has an estimated value of $2.7 billion.Citrus production also impacts the environment positively since they provide good wildlife habitat and natural buffer. This industry supports a lot of households and contributes to the supply chain linkage which is why it is so important to Florida.Do Florida oranges taste different?Florida oranges are one of the most delicious oranges in the market today; it almost seems the citrus growers of Florida have magic in their hands!One thing that stands out is the fact that Florida oranges seem to have a distinctive taste, different from all other oranges around the globe. Naturally, the sandy soil and pleasant weather conditions have something to do with that. Let us go through some Florida orange facts and discover why they taste the way they do.Citrus groves in the hot and wet climate of Florida seem to alter the characteristics of oranges. Florida oranges are much sweeter and juicier than most other orange in the market worldwide.How many oranges does Florida grow a year?The fresh orange season in Florida starts in October going all the way to June with two-thirds of Florida being used to grow oranges. If we remember our Florida orange facts correctly, we recall that Florida is optimum for orange growth.Polk County in Florida is the highest orange-producing county in the whole state. It produces almost 12.5 million boxes of citrus fruits every year!Before the deadly pandemic, Florida produced an average of 70 million boxes of fresh oranges every year. The central region of Florida produces the highest number of oranges, succeeded closely by the western and southern regions.Florida orange production is so huge that the state produces more oranges than the majority of the countries around the globe.Where did Florida oranges come from?Citrus is an important industry which is why it is important to learn the history of these orange trees and oranges. Learning about history might give you the necessary motivation to start a citrus farm of your own!When we look through the pages of history we see that citrus production in Florida, citrus groves dates all the way back to the 1800s.The Britishers were the first to see the commercial viability of citrus and it was only after independence that Florida also got in on the citrus business.However, the first citrus trees were brought by famous explorer, Christopher Columbus in 1493. Imagine being alive during the time when these delicious fruits started to grow! Originally, oranges didn’t find their origins in Florida but rather they belonged to southeast Asia and then they were spread towards the west.During the mid-1500s, popular Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon brought the first orange trees to the state of Florida.
Oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world.
