Florida is a major producer in US of fresh and processed grapefruit. It accounts for more than third of world grapefruit production. Citrus is picked from trees at least three years old. The older the tree the bigger the crop and the best fruit comes from trees over 10 years old. To give you an idea of the difference, a 3 -5 year old tree will yield an average of 1.1 boxes of fruit.
Citrus ripens on the tree and is picked by hand just before going to market.
Unripe fruit stays on the tree to ripen and preserve its freshness. Highly-skilled citrus pickers work carefully to ensure that the fruit does not get damaged. Torn skin will expose the fruit to oxygen causing it to decay rapidly. The quality of citrus is determined by the ratio between sugar content and acidity. The fruit is tested frequently during picking to make sure it is at its peak.