Description: In Nigeria, about 3.4 Million metric tonnes of citrus fruits are produced annually (2013) from an estimated hectarage of 3 million hectares of land (FAO, 2008). The country is the 9th major citrus fruit producing country globally, just after italy. And the largest growing region in Africa, followed by Egypt, Morocco and South Africa.
Major citrus producing states in Nigeria include Benue, Nassarawa, Kogi, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Taraba, Ekiti, Imo, Kwara, Edo, and Delta in that order. Most citrus production is accounted for by oranges, but significant quantities of grape fruits, lemons and limes are also grown. Fruit industry in Nigeria began under the western Regional government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the 1950’s. As a result of the down-turn in cocoa trade, consequent upon some pervasive microbiological attack, the government decided to start a pilot project in the cultivation of citrus and other fruits primarily as a way of providing farmers with an alternative source of income. Thus, the Lafia caning factory in Ibadan was born in 1954, and to feed the factory, there was the establishment of Apoje Citrus Farm, backed with an aggressive Farm settlement scheme. Interestingly, this has been bought by Funman Agricultural Product Ltd and it serves as its manufacturing base. From that small beginning in the 1950’s, fruit juice manufacturing in Nigeria has taken a giant leap.
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