It costs $4,215 per acre to grow navel oranges in California in 2025, California Citrus Mutual (CCM) reported following a recent survey of production costs. That’s up from $3,300 in 2020 (a 35% increase), $2,712 in 2015 (a 75% increase), $2,099 in 2010 (a 125% increase) and $1,555 in 2005 (a 171% increase).
Additionally, CCM reported that picking and hauling costs for navels are $1,210 per acre in 2025. Those costs are up 45% for five years, 60% for 10 years, 90% for 15 years and 110% for 20 years.
According to the report, cost increases for minimum wage, fuel and fertilizers/pesticides have played the biggest role in this upward trend since 2005. The minimum wage increase from $7.50 in 2005 to $16.50 in 2025 “has played a significant role in the increase in farming costs,” the association stated. It added that fuel costs have affected farming, picking, packing and hauling in the citrus industry. “Some within the industry are seeing fuel costs that have nearly doubled since 2020,” CCM stated. “Fertilizer and pesticide costs have also increased due to a number of factors.”
In contrast to the large increase in growing and picking/hauling costs, packing and marketing costs per acre of navels have increased just 33% since 2005, to the current $2,750, CCM reported.
CCM also reported that the average number of navel field cartons in California is about 700 per acre, “but with an average of 80% utilization, it comes out to 550 fresh cartons produced per acre.”
“With the increase in input costs on the farm, analyzing expenses has never been more important,” CCM concluded. “Having conversations with those who help run your farming operations is critical. We encourage growers to analyze operation costs and find where returns need to be in order to be profitable and sustainable.”
Source: CCM
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