Orange farming can be risky and costly but, with proper planning and management you can successfully grow oranges and generate a lot of income in South Africa.
How much profit does an acre of oranges make?
Generally, orange trees produce about 400 boxes per acre. Each box yields about 6 pounds of juice. Given a price of $8 a box, gross revenues total $3,200 an acre. After subtracting for grove maintenance of $2,800 per acre, 1 acre of orange trees produces about a $400 profit.
Is growing oranges profitable?
These prices translate to on-tree prices of roughly $8.00 per box for early-mids and close to $12.00 per box for Valencia oranges. Historically, these are very good prices and would indicate a highly profitable year for the industry.
Where are oranges farmed in South Africa?
More than 60% of these orange trees were planted in Limpopo. The Eastern Cape accounts for 14% of the area under orange production, while the Western Cape accounts for 9% of orange production in South Africa.
Who is the biggest citrus farmer in South Africa?
Goede Hoop Citrus (Pty) Ltd. with its headquarters in Citrusdal, is the largest single citrus packing operation in South Africa on one premises. Established in 1926, the company has grown to become the leading service provider to the majority of growers in the region.
How many times a year can you harvest oranges?
How many times a year can you harvest oranges? It would be great if we can have several harvests a year, but, for time being, each tree produces just one crop of fruit per year, usually in the winter season.
How many years do orange trees produce fruit?
three to five years
It can take three to five years for an orange tree to produce fruit, depending on how old the tree is when purchasing. Once the tree finally begins producing fruit, they take 7 to 8 months to ripen.
How many kilos does an orange tree produce?
In an orchard of normal density, tree spacing would be 7.3 m between rows and 3.5 m to 5 m between trees. In this orchard, average yields would range from about 9 kg (half a citrus carton) per tree in the third year to about 150 kg to 180 kg (8 to 10 citrus cartons) for a mature tree in the tenth year.
How many orange trees can be planted in an acre?
For the orange trees, an average of 20 X 20 feet (6 X 6 meters) distance is often used. Under this scheme, we will have about 109 trees per acre, or 270 trees per hectare. In some countries, a common planting pattern is 25 x 20 feet (7,5 X 6m), which results in 87 trees per acre, or 215 trees per hectare.
How much water do orange trees need?
A young orange tree should be watered every few days, but a more mature tree can be watered anywhere from weekly to about once a month. If it’s during the dry season, you should water your orange tree every few days or when the soil has dried up. During the rainy season, you may not need to water your orange tree.
Which season do oranges grow South Africa?
The citrus season in South Africa starts in the month of April and ends in September. However, the harvest time varies depending on the fruit and variety.
Are oranges in season South Africa?
The South African citrus season starts in February with lemons and continues until September when the last oranges are harvested.
Where are most citrus fruits farmed in South Africa?
The Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape produces the most citrus in South Africa, followed by Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Are oranges from South Africa good?
South African’s fruit is vibrant, sweet and delicious with excellent eating quality. South African citrus is grown in the Western & Northern Cape regions where the fruit thrives in Mediterranean-like growing conditions. Numerous citrus varieties available in easy peelers, oranges, grapefruit and more.
What fruits grow in Mpumalanga?
Avocados, litchis, mangoes and bananas thrive in the province. Hazyview is an important source of bananas, with 20% of South Africa’s production originating in this district. Deciduous fruits are cultivated in smaller quantities.
What did African farmers export?
Furthermore, over 80 percent of Africa’s agricultural products are being produced by smallholder farmers who produce 70 percent of the continent’s food supply. If we look at exports, African countries mainly export cocoa, edible fruit and nuts, coffee and tea and vegetables to the rest of the world.
Where do oranges grow best?
Oranges are grown throughout the world in tropical and subtropical areas, but they achieve the best quality under subtropical conditions. For the most part, the warm, humid conditions of south Texas produce a thin-skinned, yellowish orange fruit with yellowish orange flesh that is quite sweet and juicy.
How many oranges do you get from one tree?
The average healthy and mature orange tree produces 200-350 oranges. However, experienced orange farmers after years of practice can harvest between 400 to 600 oranges per tree.
What month are oranges harvested?
Navel oranges are ready for harvest from November to June. Valencia oranges are ready in March into October. Cara Cara oranges ripen from December through May. Clementine oranges are ready in October as are Satsuma until December or January.
What is the best fertilizer for orange trees?
Orange farmers often provide 5,5 – 7,7 lbs (2,5-3,5 kg) P2O5 in every adult tree for 4-5 consecutive years. In many cases, they may also add 3,3-6,6 lbs. (1,5-3 kg) K2O in every adult tree for two consecutive years. The best time to apply fertilization is during spring.
What climate do oranges need to grow?
Orange trees are climate-sensitive plants that have quite definite temperature requirements. When they are actively growing, they do best if temperatures range from 55 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They become dormant in winter and require temperatures no lower the 35 F or higher than 50 F during this period.