Source: Citrus Association of Northwest Argentina
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) in June reported changes in its 2020-21 estimates for citrus production in Argentina. The fresh lemon production estimate was increased 12% to 1.15 million metric tons. The fresh orange estimate was revised down by 30,000 metric tons, to 670,000 metric tons. The tangerine production estimate was unchanged at 360,000 metric tons.
Lemon and orange exports are forecast to decrease to 180,000 metric tons and 70,000 metric tons, respectively, a decrease of 10,000 metric tons for each fruit. Tangerine exports are expected to remain flat at 35,000 metric tons.
USDA/FAS reported that the Argentine citrus sector will continue to look toward Asian markets for export expansion. For sweet citrus, Argentina has had access to China since 2004 and added Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines in 2017.
Argentina is a net citrus producing and exporting country, so citrus imports are expected to remain negligible in 2020-21.
PLANTED AREA
Over the past few years, both existing and new growers in northwest Argentina have expanded planted area for lemons. Tree removal and resetting have been increasing the plant per hectare ratio and improving efficiency and yields. For 2020-21, the area planted to lemons is estimated to remain stable at 50,000 hectares.
The projected planting area remains unchanged for oranges and tangerines, at 39,000 hectares and 28,000 hectares, respectively. Smaller producers are struggling to compete and tend to sell their orchards to larger farmers when they exit the business.
CONSUMPTION UP
USDA/FAS expects domestic lemon consumption to increase by 30,000 metric tons to 140,000 metric tons, in 2020-21. Orange consumption is expected to increase 7.5% to 420,000 metric tons. Tangerine consumption is expected to rise 9% to 240,000 metric tons. Consumers wanted more vitamin C as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
See the full USDA/FAS report on citrus in Argentina.
Source: The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service
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