Brazil’s Fundecitrus recently released its 2025–26 Tree Inventory of the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais Citrus Belt. The report shows the estimated grove inventory as updated in March 2025.
The area planted with citrus showed a slight increase compared to the previous mapping, contrary to the trend observed in recent surveys. While there was a reduction of 16,956 hectares between 2015 and 2018 and a reduction of 3,714 hectares between 2018 and 2022, there was an increase of 340 hectares from 2022 to 2025, rising from 461,921 to 462,261 hectares.
Areas with orchards of all varieties of oranges, which had been losing share in previous inventories, grew in 2025, reaching 88%, compared to 86% in 2022. On the other hand, the areas of limes and lemons fell from 11% to 10%, and tangerines dropped from 3% to 2%.
ORANGES
The orange groves, including all varieties, cover 405,253 hectares. The new mapping reveals an increase of 7,724 hectares in the orange-growing area as compared to the 2022 inventory, indicating a positive outlook since oranges had been losing space in previous surveys.
Data from orange groves were compiled in two groups.
The first group, named “oranges,” leads with about 97% of the planted area (394,918 hectares) and includes Hamlin, Westin, Rubi, Valencia Americana, Seleta, Pineapple, Alvorada, Pera, Valencia, Folha Murcha and Natal varieties. Half of the area planted with these varieties is concentrated in only four regions: Duartina (59,712 hectares), Avaré (59,445 hectares), Bebedouro (51,752 hectares) and Porto Ferreira (37,816 hectares). The other half is distributed in eight regions: Matão (37,084 hectares), Triângulo Mineiro (32,148 hectares), Limeira (27,667 hectares), Itapetininga (25,270 hectares), Votuporanga (21,230 hectares), São José do Rio Preto (20,143 hectares), Altinópolis (11,686 hectares) and Brotas (10,965 hectares).
The second group, called “other oranges,” occupies approximately 3% of the planted area (10,335 hectares) and includes the Washington Navel, Baianinha, Charmute de Brotas, acidless sweet oranges and other varieties. Groves of this group are mostly in the south and southwest sectors.
LIMES AND LEMONS
The area of lime and lemon groves, which had increased by 11,142 hectares between 2015 and 2018, and 12,731 hectares between 2018 and 2022, decreased 5,780 hectares from 2022 to 2025, reaching an area of 46,029 hectares. About 68% of this area is concentrated in just two regions, Bebedouro, with 39%, and Matão, with 29%.
The distribution by variety shows that approximately 88% of this area is planted with Tahiti acid lime, 6.5% with Sicilian lemon and 5.5% with other varieties.
TANGERINES
The area of tangerine groves decreased 1,604 hectares in relation to the 2022 inventory. In this new inventory, these groves cover 10,979 hectares and are more evenly distributed throughout the Citrus Belt compared to the limes and lemons. The main tangerine production regions are: Votuporanga (16%), Itapetininga (14%), Limeira (13%), Porto Ferreira (11%), Matão (10%), Bebedouro (10%) and Avaré (10%).
The Murcott variety has the largest share, with about 44% of the area. Ponkan has 37%, and the other varieties have 19%.
Source: Fundecitrus
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