Major Citrus Grower Alico, Inc. to Transform Groves into 3,000-Acre Residential Community in Southwest Florida

In a dramatic shift from fruit to future, one of Florida’s largest citrus growers is trading in its groves for growth. Alico, Inc. announced plans to develop a 3,000-acre residential community in Southwest Florida, just months after revealing it will cease citrus operations at the end of the current growing season.

The Fort Myers-based company has filed a development application for the first of two planned villages near the intersection of Collier, Lee, and Hendry counties. Each village is expected to include approximately 4,500 homes, and both will incorporate 6,000 acres of protected conservation land, the company said.

Alico currently owns over 53,000 acres across eight Florida counties, along with nearly 49,000 acres of oil, gas, and mineral rights. The company made headlines earlier this year when it announced it was exiting the citrus industry after suffering a nearly 75% drop in production over the past decade.

Alico’s retreat from citrus highlights a broader decline in Florida’s iconic industry, which has been devastated by hurricanes and citrus greening disease—a bacterial infection that has slashed the state’s orange output by 90% over the past 20 years.

Once the nation’s citrus leader, Florida now trails behind California, with active groves shrinking from over 832,000 acres at the start of the century to just 275,000 acres last year.

As Florida’s population continues to surge, the shift from agriculture to development is accelerating. Alico’s new venture represents a growing trend: transforming once-vibrant groves into thriving residential communities for the state’s newest residents.

The project underscores a significant turning point—not just for Alico, but for the future of Florida’s land and legacy.

Story from APnews.com