Like Banana, Apple & Mango, Orange is also one of the topmost fruits that are cultivated widely in every corner of the world. Basically, oranges are citrus fruits, frequently eaten by people because of their sweetness and their nutritional value.

Orange fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, particularly vitamin C. And juice made from extracts of this fruit have acquired an important place in the regular diet of many people. So, friends, growing orange trees is a great idea to begin a new tree-farming business plan.

The scientific name of Orange is citrus reticulata and its botanical name is citrus aurantium.

Orange products have great demand on the international market because of their extensive uses and benefits. This delicious fruit can be eaten fresh or in form of syrup, juice, jam, squash, or any other orange product.

Note that orange fruits are the principal source of citric acid, peel oil, and cosmetics. And because of this much importance, orange farming and cultivation plays an important role in economics.

Orange Varieties

Selecting a high-yielding and fast-growing variety for orange cultivation will directly impact the production of your oranges. So to obtain a high amount of production, always select a high-yielding and fast-growing variety.

Aren’t they just beautiful?

The topmost, high-yielding varieties of oranges include Blood, Hamlin, Navel, Page, Ortanique, Parson Brown, Pineapple, Red Navel, Temple (Royal mandarin), Valencia (Citrus Sinensis Valencia) and Ambersweet.

Apart from this, Nagpur Santra (Mandarin), Sumithra mandarin, Darjeeling Mandarin, Kinnow mandarin, Blood Red, Sathukudi (Satagudi), Dancy, SZ-IN-COM, Coorg Santra, Mosambi, Kara, Khasi Santra, Seedless-182, Shringar, Hamlin, Butwal, Mudkhed, and Jaffa are also some other important types of oranges that are most cultivated all around the world.

Pay attention to your region’s climatic condition while selecting a suitable site for your farm. It is a good idea to select a disease- and pest-resistant variety with the help of the local horticulture department for obtaining more orange production.

Climate Condition for Orange Farming

Where do oranges grow?

As with mangoes and bananas, oranges can grow well in both tropical as well as sub-tropical regions up to a height of 1500 m. However, a dry climatic condition is favourable for profitable orange cultivation.

Yeah, you read that right.

A soil temp. of about 26°C is beneficial in enhancing the growth of plant root as well plant growth. However, if you’re farming oranges in an arid and drier area with good hot summer and moderate rainfall, about 100 to 200 cm is considered as the best and most favorable climatic conditions for the excellent growth of orange plants.

Take care that orange trees are very sensitive to high humid and frost condition and such climatic condition in orange farming invites numbers of many diseases and harmful pests, insects, etc.

Also, note that hot winds during summer lead to dropping down of orange flower and budding fruits. So, for obtaining high production of oranges, it is a good idea to keep maintaining the favorable temp. in your farm during the growth period.

Soil Requirements

Oranges can be cultivated on a wide variety of soil like sandy loam to loamy soil, alluvial, red to black soils with too much clay. However, a soil with high fertility, good drainage power, lime-free soil with good salt absorption power and light loam is considered as the best and most favorable for the orange cultivation.

As soil ph for citrus trees is about 6.0 to 7.0 and oranges are citruses, it is smart to cultivate them on soil with pH ranging between 5. 8 to 7.3 for best production.

However, it is a good idea to go for the soil test, at least once before starting any commercial farming, to know whether your soil is suitable or not.

Land Selection and its Preparation for Orange Farming

Select a site for your orange farm. Make sure that there will be full availability of transport for moving your oranges to the market. Also, it should not be too cold during the winter, rainy or monsoon seasons because this invites a number of pests and diseases to your farm. It is also suggested to provide windbreaks on the sides of your farm for protection from heavy winds since hot and heavy winds during summer lead to dropping down of orange flower and budding fruits. Growing Jamun (Plum), Mulberry trees, Eucalyptus, etc. on the sides is a good idea for providing windbreaks.

Prepare your soil. Soil favorable for orange farming should have a ph of about 5.8 to 7.3. Make sure your soil is rich in all essential organic matters for producing more fruits. If your there is any nutrient deficiency, then you should provide supplements at the time of soil preparation. Also ensure that you remove the previous crop’s weeds, if present.

Source: farmingtips