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Citrus farming guide for India
Citrus needs excellent drainage; in Vidarbha, Nagpur orange growers withhold water before flowering (bahar treatment) to time the crop.
Key numbers
- SeasonPerennial (ambia/mrig bahar)about 240 days
- Water over the seasonabout 900 mmrain and irrigation together
- Soil pH6.0 to 7.5NPK guide 100:50:100
- Main riskCitrus Cankersee the watchlist below
Typical values for India. Your soil test and your local KVK's advice come first.
When and where citrus is grown
Citrus is grown as a Perennial (ambia/mrig bahar) crop in India: July-August or February planting.
Leading states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab. Soil moisture is best kept around 50 to 70% of capacity for most of the season.
What to watch on your field
What a weekly satellite and weather view of your own field shows at each stage, and when to walk the field.
Before flowering
Many orchard crops are deliberately kept dry before flowering to induce bloom. A falling water signal in this window is expected, not stress.
Flowering
Bloom-time weather largely decides the season's crop: watch for heat, frost, rain and long humid spells.
Fruit development
Steady moisture now reduces fruit drop and improves size; a block that loses greenness faster than the rest deserves a visit.
After harvest
Recovery feeding and irrigation rebuild the tree for next season's bloom.
The main risks for citrus
Most of these follow the weather. A risky week is a reason to inspect the crop, not to spray by default.
For any spray or dose, ask your KVK or an agronomist. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan never names a product.
- Citrus CankerThe main risk for this crop in India.
- Citrus greening (HLB)Psyllid-vectored.
- Phytophthora gummosisTrunk rot in waterlogged basins.
Watering citrus well
Basin or drip irrigation tuned to the crop's stage, including the dry period some orchards use to induce flowering. Weekly field monitoring helps tell deliberate stress from real stress.
Crop water use follows the FAO-56 method: the weather sets a reference demand, and the crop's stage sets how much of it the crop uses. That is why the same field needs different amounts in different weeks.
A weekly message about your own citrus field.
Watch is free for any citrus field in India. Decide, with irrigation timing and the bahar stress window built in, starts with Nagpur orange in Vidarbha for the 2026-27 season. The orange belt, district by district: Vidarbha, Nagpur, Amravati, Warud.
1.2 km × 0.9 km · each square 10 m
- Your own field, every week.The squares inside your boundary, compared with your field's own history.
- A clear note when it cannot see.Cloudy weeks and very small plots are named, not guessed.
- Free on Watch.In Marathi, Hindi or English, on WhatsApp.
How each message is made, from which satellites and with which limits: methods and evidence. A real field's year of Sentinel-2 readings, free to download: open data.
Citrus: common questions
What soil pH does citrus need?
Citrus grows best at a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5. A soil test before the season is the reliable way to know your own field.
How much water does citrus need?
About 900 mm over a season of roughly 240 days, from rain and irrigation together. The real need changes with the weather, the soil and the crop's stage, which is why it helps to track your own field week by week.
What is the main disease or pest risk for citrus?
Citrus Canker is the main risk. Most risks follow the weather, so a risky week is a reason to inspect the crop. Ask your KVK or an agronomist before any spray.
When is citrus grown in India?
Citrus is grown as a Perennial (ambia/mrig bahar) crop: July-August or February planting.
Which states grow the most citrus?
Leading states include Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab. VarshaKrishi's free Watch plan covers any field in these states: you need WhatsApp and your field's location, nothing installed in the field.