Orange Origins in China

The orange is the fruit from the sweet orange tree which belongs to the genus Citrus of family Rutaceae that includes over 1,600 sub-species. Citrus fruits are the highest value fruit crop in terms of international trade, and the two main markets for citrus fruit are the fresh fruit market and the processed citrus fruit market, which is mainly orange juice. In fact almost all current citrus production worldwide is accounted for by oranges, but many grapefruits, lemons and limes are also a part of the citrus market.

Although citrus fruits are currently produced all over the world in over 140 citrus producing countries, almost three quarters of the world's total citrus production is grown only in the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in countries around the Mediterranean and the United States, although Brazil is also one of the largest citrus producers today as well. In the United States, most oranges grown for consumption as fresh fruit come from California, Arizona and Texas, while most of the orange juice and grapefruit we consume is produced in Florida.

All oranges belong to the genus citrus and consist of some 20 sub-species with edible fruits that are all rich in vitamin C, flavonoids and essential oils. Today, the sweet orange is the most cultivated fruit in the world, partially due to the fruit’s high water content and vitamin C, folate and minerals like potassium, magnesium and calcium. Because there are so many sub-varieties, people can enjoy oranges all year long thanks to a variable maturity period that can range from mid-fall to early summer.

Although the exact origin of citrus fruits cannot be precisely identified, it is believed that they actually sprang from the southeastern regions of Asia, particularly in the southeast of China and the Malay Archipelago. Orange cultivation in South China goes back thousands of years from where it spread throughout Southeast Asia. From there, oranges began to spread to northern Africa through constant migration and trade. It was during the period of the Roman Empire that increased trade allowed the fruits to spread to southern Europe. Oranges and citrus fruits then spread throughout Europe during the Middle Ages until they were brought to the Americas by early Spanish explorers, but worldwide trade didn't appear until the 19th century and the trade in orange juice specifically developed as late as 1940.

While it may seem odd that although the first orange trees actually came from China, but China is still not yet a major player in the orange juice and processed citrus markets today. China’s position in the production of oranges is still growing slowly today, but high tariffs to make domestic sales more profitable have kept production low due to lower than average yields, high production and marketing costs and ongoing problems with diseased orange trees in that region. Although the orange might have originated in China, the U.S. and Brazil totally dominate the markets today.