Florida Citrus - History
Citrus fruits were brought here by the Spaniards (Columbus took seeds of citrus fruits with him on his second trip in 1493) and the Portuguese in their trips to the New World, around year 1500. Since these early explorers introduced the first Sour Orange tree to the Americas, citrus has taken hold and thrived in Florida's lush tropical climate. International trade in fresh citrus fruits began slowly almost two centuries ago. In contrast, international trade in orange juice only started to take hold in the 1940s, after World War II, when citrus processing technologies were invented and developed. Today, citrus production has become a multi-billion dollar industry thanks to the hard work and experimentation of countless scientists, growers, and processors.
