India ranks sixth in the production of citrus fruit in the world. Other major citrus producing countries are Spain, USA, Israel, Morocco, South Africa, Japan, Brazil, Turkey and Cuba. It occupies third position after mango and banana in the production of fruits in India. Citrus fruits originated in the tropical and sub tropical regions of South East Asia , particularly India and China.

North East India is the native place of many citrus species. It is of particular interest because of its high content of vitamin C and refreshing juice. Of the various types of citrus fruits grown in India, orange (mandarin or santra), sweet orange (mosambi, malta or satgudi) and lime/lemon are of commercial importance. Lime or acid lime is also commercially known as 'Pati lime' or 'Kagzi lime'. Sweet orange is commercially important for production of palatable juice.

In India, citrus fruits are primarily grown in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Orissa, Assam and Gujarat. During 2001-02, India has produced about 46 lakh tonnes of citrus from a total area of about 5.6 lakh.