One of Florida’s largest citrus growers, Alico, Inc., is making a significant shift by planning to develop a new community in southwest Florida. This announcement comes just months after the company revealed it would end its citrus operations at the close of this season.
Alico has submitted a development application for the first of two planned villages near the intersection of Collier, Lee, and Hendry counties. Each village is set to feature around 4,500 homes, and the development will be complemented by 6,000 acres of protected conservation land.
Based in Fort Myers, Alico owns more than 53,000 acres across eight counties in Florida. The company has also held considerable oil, gas, and mineral rights in the state. Alico’s decision to stop growing citrus was prompted by a steep decline in production, which has dropped nearly 75% over the past ten years.
This move reflects a broader trend in Florida’s citrus industry, which has faced significant challenges. Factors like hurricanes and the spread of citrus greening disease have led to a staggering 90% reduction in orange production statewide over the last two decades. As more people relocate to Florida, developers are increasingly converting former citrus groves into residential areas.
Historically, citrus groves occupied over 832,000 acres in Florida at the beginning of the 2000s. However, last year, that number fell to just 275,000 acres. Meanwhile, California has overtaken Florida as the leading citrus producer in the United States.
As Alico shifts its focus from citrus to community development, it highlights the changing landscape of Florida’s agriculture and real estate sectors.