Italy produces almost a third of the European Union's oranges, but has lost almost a quarter in twenty years. In 2025, the harvest stopped at about 1.79 million tons, compared to 2.35 million in 2006 (ISTAT, 2026). Red oranges support exports, while blond and navel oranges come from abroad in increasing quantities (MAECI, 2026). Domestic consumption has fallen by a third since 2020 (Fellin, 2026).
As with Italian lemons, geographical indications represent only a marginal share of the supply chain. Sicilian Red Orange IGP, Ribera Orange DOP and Gargano Orange IGP certified about 35 thousand tons in 2023, around 2% of national production (Fondazione Qualivita, n.d.-a, n.d.-b, n.d.-c).
Italian oranges, declining production and weight in Europe
In 2025 the oranges in Italy occupied 86,219 hectares in production and supplied 1.79 million tons. Compared to 2006, the area decreased by 17.4%, production by 23.7%, and yield per hectare by 7.6%. Almost the entire harvest comes from the South: 62.2% from the Islands and 37.6% from the South, with a decline extended to both areas (ISTAT, 2026).
The European comparison, based on Eurostat data still provisional for 2025, shows two opposite trajectories. Italy expresses 30.5% of the production of oranges of the European Union, Spain 50.3%. Compared to 2015, Italian production fell by 20.9%, while Spanish production grew by 24.4% and European production remained stable, with -0.6% (ISTAT, 2026).
Foreign trade, Italy sells red and buys blond
Foreign trade data, prepared by the Economic Observatory of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs based on Istat, distinguish three types of fresh sweet oranges: navel, blond and ‘other sweet oranges’. This last category includes pigmented oranges. The table considers only fresh sweet oranges, because the residual category of other oranges also includes dried and non-sweet fruits.
| Fresh sweet oranges, million euros | Export 2024 | Export 2025 | Import 2024 | Import 2025 |
| Navel | 34 | 49 | 44 | 70 |
| Blond | 13 | 11 | 50 | 62 |
| Other sweet oranges, including pigmented | 77 | 79 | 17 | 19 |
| Total | 124 | 139 | 111 | 151 |
Source: elaborations of the Economic Observatory MAECI on Istat data (MAECI, 2026). Provisional 2025 data.
In 2025 the balance of fresh sweet oranges returned negative, by about 12 million euros, after a surplus of 13 million in 2024. However, the overall data hides a clear specialization. On pigmented oranges Italy exports four times what it imports, with a surplus of about 60 million. On navel and blond it accumulates a deficit of over 70 million (MAECI, 2026). In the entire citrus sector, in 2025 exports reached 354.6 million euros and imports 388.3 million (MAECI, 2026).
Consumption declining, packaged exceeds bulk
According to CSO Italy data reported by the trade press, in 2024 Italian families bought 344 thousand tons of oranges. This is 3% less than in 2023 and about one-third less than in 2020. Spending was 539.9 million euros, with an average price of 1.57 euros per kilo (Fellin, 2026).
Oranges enter the cart of 71% of Italian families, compared to over 80% before the pandemic. Purchases are concentrated between January and April, which account for 63% of volumes. The organic it stops at 31 thousand tons, 6% less. For the first time the packaged, with 191 thousand tons, it exceeded bulk, which fell to 153 thousand (Fellin, 2026).
DOP and IGP, a minority share of production
The statistics published by Qualigeo allow a homogeneous comparison between the three denominations in 2023.
| Denomination | Certified production 2023 | Production turnover 2023 | Of which export |
| Sicilian Blood Orange IGP | 26,791.4 t | 17.414 million € | 10.449 million € |
| Ribera Orange DOP | 8,143.8 t | 4.886 million € | 0.786 million € |
| Gargano Orange IGP | 5.1 t | n.d. | n.d. |
| Total | 34,940.4 t | 22,300 million € | 11,235 million € |
Source: Fondazione Qualivita, Qualigeo sheets (n.d.-a, n.d.-b, n.d.-c). Quantities converted from kilograms to tons. Revenue and export refer to only the two Sicilian denominations. n.d.: data not available.
The latest ISTAT data on national production concerns 2025, while the most recent certified data date back to 2023. The comparison between the two years should therefore be read as an order of magnitude. About 35 thousand tons certified out of about 1.79 million t of total production correspond to a share around 2% (ISTAT, 2026; Fondazione Qualivita, n.d.-a, n.d.-b, n.d.-c). Over 97% of Italian oranges are therefore grown and sold outside these denominations.
Geographical indications guarantee origin, controlled production method, and traceability. However, the quality of Italian orange growing also includes organic, integrated, and conventional productions sold without PDO or PGI. Their value depends on variety, agronomic management, and care after harvest.
Three denominations, three territorial identities
Sicilian Red Orange IGP, pigmentation and selections
theSicilian Blood Orange IGP, registered in 1996, includes the Tarocco, Moro, and Sanguinello varieties. The production area consists of 32 municipalities in the provinces of Catania, Siracusa, and Enna. The harvest runs from December to May and is prohibited is the degreening after harvest, that is artificial coloring of the peel (Fondazione Qualivita, n.d.-c).
The red color is due to anthocyanins. In blood oranges a retrotransposon, a mobile genetic element, has inserted next to the gene Ruby, which regulates the production of these pigments. The cold activates the retrotransposon, and with it the gene: for this reason pigmentation depends on low temperatures (Butelli et al., 2012). The Tarocco gathers numerous selections, while the Moro produces more anthocyanins (Butelli et al., 2012).
The protection consortium brings together over 500 farms, with more than 7,200 certified hectares, of which 1,000 are organic. In the 2025/26 season it marketed oltre 24 mila tonnellate, nonostante i danni del ciclone Harry, con raffiche oltre i 120 chilometri orari. L’evento ha imposto selezioni più severe e costi aggiuntivi nei centri di confezionamento (Consorzio di Tutela Arancia Rossa di Sicilia IGP, 2026).
Ribera Orange DOP, the navel blondes of Sicily
theRibera Orange DOP, registrata nel 2011, comprende le varietà Brasiliano, Washington Navel e Navelina, con i rispettivi cloni ammessi. Sono arance bionde del gruppo Navel, riconoscibili per l’ombelico, con polpa zuccherina e delicata. La zona – in Sicilia – comprende 13 comuni della provincia di Agrigento e uno della provincia di Palermo, lungo i fiumi Verdura, Magazzolo, Platani e Carboj (Fondazione Qualivita, s.d.-b).
La Navelina si raccoglie da inizio novembre a fine febbraio. Brasiliano e Washington Navel seguono dalla prima decade di dicembre a fine maggio. Dopo la raccolta le arance non ricevono trattamenti chimici né cere e vengono soltanto lavate con acqua potabile. La scorza resta così utilizzabile in cucina, per esempio per i canditi (Fondazione Qualivita, s.d.-b). La DOP è ammessa solo nelle categorie commerciali Extra e Prima e conta 309 operatori (Fondazione Qualivita, s.d.-b).
Gargano Orange IGP, gardens and late harvests
theGargano Orange IGP, registrata nel 2007, tutela il Biondo Comune del Gargano e la cultivar locale Duretta, detta anche ‘arancia tosta’. La zona comprende Vico del Gargano, Ischitella e Rodi Garganico, sul versante settentrionale del promontorio. Sui terreni in pendenza gli aranceti vengono terrazzati con muretti a secco o ciglionamenti (Fondazione Qualivita, s.d.-a).
Il calendario è diverso da quello di tutte le altre aree agrumicole italiane. La Duretta si raccoglie dall’1 dicembre al 30 aprile, il Biondo Comune dal 15 aprile a fine agosto. Grazie alla buona conservabilità, a metà Ottocento le arance del Gargano arrivavano fino a New York e Chicago (Fondazione Qualivita, s.d.-a).
La produzione certificata è però crollata dai 38.067 chili del 2019 ai 5.128 del 2023, con 16 operatori iscritti (Fondazione Qualivita, s.d.-a). Questi numeri misurano il prodotto certificato, non la consistenza degli agrumeti né il loro valore storico.
Biodiversity beyond denominations
in Basilicata theStaccia orange is cultivated in the valleys of Agri and Sinni, between Tursi, Montalbano Jonico, Colobraro, Valsinni and San Giorgio Lucano. The fruit is flattened at the poles and seedless, weighs on average 300 grams and can reach 800-900. It ripens in March but remains on the plant until August. Proprio la pezzatura irregolare l’ha esclusa da un mercato che premia calibri uniformi. Dal 2007 un consorzio locale ne chiede il riconoscimento come DOP (Fondazione Slow Food, s.d.).
in Sardinia, the orange groves of Milis, nell’alto Oristanese, risalgono ai monaci camaldolesi che si insediarono nel paese dal XIII secolo. A febbraio vi si tiene la sagra degli agrumi. Durante la seconda guerra mondiale gli aranceti nascosero un aeroporto militare, detto per questo ‘invisibile’ (Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, s.d.).
Public research expands the varietal heritage. CREA, the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Analysis, indicates among the most widespread selections in new plantations the Tarocco TDV, early ripening, and the Tarocco Lempso C5787, with intensely colored peel. The selection work has extended the commercial calendar of blood oranges from December to May (Caruso et al., 2026). From crosses with Tarocco, mandarin-like citrus fruits such as Tacle, to be distinguished from proper oranges.
From fresh fruit to processed products
The supply chain includes fresh consumption, juice, juices, marmalades and candied fruits. In Sicilian cuisine, oranges are also used in savory dishes, such asLentini blood orange salad.
For processed products, the raw material often comes from abroad. The GIFT comparison on 50 orange juices, nectars and beverages indeed shows that the origin of the fruit in Made in Italy beverages appears only on some of the labels.
Whole fruit also retains fiber. CREA guidelines specify that the satiety power of fruits and vegetables applies to products consumed as such, not to juices, extracts and squeezed juices, which often contain less fiber and do not require chewing (CREA, 2018).
Value and prospects of Italian orange growing
The data indicate two fragilities. The first is productive: surfaces and yields are declining, while drought and extreme events such as cyclone Harry increase losses and selection costs (ISTAT, 2026; Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian Red Orange IGP, 2026). The second is commercial: domestic consumption is declining, and imported navel and blond oranges are increasingly taking space on shelves (Fellin, 2026; MAECI, 2026).
The asset of pigmented oranges shows where Italy has an advantage that is difficult to replicate elsewhere, because the color depends on the cold of its growing areas (MAECI, 2026; Butelli et al., 2012). Designations can strengthen it, but today certify about 2% of the crop. For consumers, choosing theItalian origin and following the season of the individual varieties supports this supply chain. Even more so where the choice is oriented towards the certified products organic, which always guarantee the edibility of the peel and the highest standards of protection of ecosystems and biodiversity. For professional buyers, continuity of supply, traceability, varietal calendar, and specifications consistent with the final use matter.
Dario Dongo
References
Statistical and institutional sources
Caruso, M., Cortese, M., Russo, R., & Arlotta, C. (2026, May 30). New CREA varieties/2: citrus fruits. CREA Future. https://creafuturo.crea.gov.it/17216/
CREA, Research Center for Food and Nutrition. (2018). Guidelines for healthy eating. 2018 Revision. Guidelines for Healthy Eating 2018
National Institute of Statistics [ISTAT]. (2026, September 4). Agricultural and Livestock Production. Year 2025. Statistics Focus. https://www.istat.it/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Focus_Productions-agricultural-and-livestock_Year-2025-rev-7-september.pdf
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation [MAECI], Economic Observatory. (2026, April). Italy's Trade Exchange in the Citrus Sector (Elaborations on ISTAT data; provisional 2025 data). https://www.infomercatiesteri.it/public/osservatorio/interscambio-commerciale-settoriale/Interscambio_Agrumicolo_%2010_04_2026_1775820144.pdf
Autonomous Region of Sardinia. (n.d.). Milis. SardegnaTourism. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://www.sardegnaturismo.it/en/explore/milis
Geographical indications and biodiversity
Consortium for the Protection of Sicilian Blood Orange PGI. (2026, July 21). 2025-26 Campaign: Sicilian Blood Orange PGI exceeds 24 million kg. https://www.tutelaaranciarossa.it/arancia-rossa-di-sicilia-igp-harvest-2025-2026/
Qualivita Foundation. (n.d.-a). Gargano Orange IGP. Qualigeo. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://www.qualigeo.eu/qualigeo-product/gargano-orange-pgi/
Qualivita Foundation. (n.d.-b). Ribera Orange DOP. Qualigeo. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://www.qualigeo.eu/qualigeo-product/ribera-orange-pdo/
Qualivita Foundation. (n.d.-c). Sicilian Blood Orange IGP. Qualigeo. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://www.qualigeo.eu/qualigeo-product/sicilian-blood-orange-pgi/
Slow Food Foundation. (n.d.). Staccia orange. Ark of Taste. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/staccia-orange/
Technical and historical sources
Butelli, E., Licciardello, C., Zhang, Y., Liu, J., Mackay, S., Bailey, P., Reforgiato-Recupero, G., & Martin, C. (2012). Retrotransposons control fruit-specific, cold-dependent accumulation of anthocyanins in blood oranges. The Plant Cell, 24(3), 1242–1255. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.111.095232
Trade press
Fellin, V. (2026, January 1). Squeezing the future: the challenge of value beyond volumes. Fresh Point Magazine. https://www.freshpointmagazine.it/en/spremere-il-futuro-la-sfida-del-valore-oltre-i-volumi/
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
