About Orange
India's citrus trade is led by the Nagpur mandarin (santra) of Vidarbha and the Kinnow of Punjab and Rajasthan, with hill mandarins in Kodagu and the Northeast.
Where Orange Is Grown in Maharashtra
The main orange districts of Maharashtra are Nagpur, Amravati (Warud, Morshi), Wardha. Maharashtra is India's leading producer of onion, grapes, pomegranate, banana (with Gujarat and Andhra), tur, soybean, cotton and sugarcane, and of Alphonso mango and Nagpur orange. Its mandis at Lasalgaon, Latur, Sangli, Solapur and Vashi are among the best known in India.
Season in Maharashtra
Nagpur: Oct–Jan and Feb–Apr; Kinnow: Dec–Mar. Exact arrival dates in Maharashtra depend on local sowing and the monsoon, so check current arrivals before planning purchases.
How Orange Is Sold in Maharashtra
Farm produce is sold through regulated APMC market yards under the state's agricultural produce marketing law, run by the state agricultural marketing board, with many yards linked to eNAM. Maharashtra has been a leader in FPO-led marketing and in allowing direct sales outside APMC yards for fruits and vegetables.
Key markets for Orange in Maharashtra
Other major markets in Maharashtra
- Lasalgaon and PimpalgaonOnion, tomato, grapesAboutExplore
- LaturTur, soybeanAboutExplore
- SangliTurmeric, raisinsAboutExplore
- SolapurOnion, pomegranate, jowarAboutExplore
- JalgaonBanana, cottonAboutExplore
State Agencies in Maharashtra
Orange has no minimum support price, so it is bought almost entirely by private traders, processors and exporters. State marketing bodies regulate the markets and support farmer producer organisations.
- Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB)Regulated markets, export facilitiesAboutExplore
- MahaFPC (Maharashtra Farmer Producer Companies)FPO procurement and marketingAboutExplore
Quality and Price Notes
Most Nagpur mandarins and Kinnow are eaten fresh. Kinnow is also a major juice fruit for street vendors and processors in Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi. Peel goes into pectin and essential oil. New processing plants in Vidarbha aim to use the large ambia crop for juice and concentrate.
Kinnow is washed, waxed and graded by size in packhouses in Abohar and Sri Ganganagar, then packed in wooden or corrugated boxes. Nagpur mandarin is graded by size and colour; the deep-orange, easily peeled fruit of the mrig crop fetches the best prices. Greening disease, Phytophthora and declining old orchards are the main problems.
Bangladesh is the largest buyer of Indian mandarins, so changes in Bangladesh's import duty strongly affect Vidarbha prices. Kinnow is also shipped to Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Gulf. A big crop in one region can depress national prices for weeks.
Buyers, Processors and Exporters
These companies and bodies buy, process or export orange across India, including from Maharashtra. Tap a name for details.
- INI Farms Pvt LtdExporter of bananas, pomegranates and grapes to about 35 countriesAboutExplore
- Freshtrop Fruits LtdAhmedabad · listed; grapes and pomegranate exporterAboutExplore
- KB Exports Pvt LtdMumbai · fresh fruit and vegetable exporter (KayBee)AboutExplore
- Sahyadri Farmers Producer Company LtdNashik · grapes, fruits and processingAboutExplore
- APEDAExport registration and residue control (GrapeNet, AnarNet, MangoNet)AboutExplore
Research and Advice in Maharashtra
New varieties, crop advice and seed for orange growers in Maharashtra come from the state agricultural universities below and from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in each district.
- Mahatma Phule Krishi VidyapeethRahuriAboutExplore
- Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi VidyapeethAkolaAboutExplore
- Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi VidyapeethParbhaniAboutExplore
- Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi VidyapeethDapoliAboutExplore
Orange in Other States
Madhya Pradesh · Punjab · Rajasthan · Haryana · Karnataka · Meghalaya · Assam · Arunachal Pradesh · Mizoram
Related: Orange – all India · Maharashtra · All crops
Names are listed for reference only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation. The About and Explore buttons open Google in a new tab; results there are generated by Google and third parties, not by this site. Prices, MSP, export rules and schemes change often. Nothing here is financial, legal or purchasing advice. Full disclaimer