Citrus production in the Southern Hemisphere this year is expected to increase 4.85% compared to 2021, to 24.8 million tons, according to a preliminary forecast by the World Citrus Organisation (WCO). The forecast is based on information provided by industry associations in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Africa and Uruguay.
A total of 13.2 million tons of citrus are expected to go to the juice market — an 8.32% increase compared to 2021. Exports are projected to increase to 4.1 million tons, up 4.91% from the previous season.
“Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a positive trend of consumers’ demand for fruit and vegetables was noted, in particular for citrus fruit, widely recognized for its high nutritional value, notably in terms of vitamin C content,” said WCO Secretary General Philippe Binard. “The large volume available is positive news as it will meet this increased demand.”
Southern Hemisphere orange production is forecast to increase by 5.01% compared to 2021, reaching 16.5 million tons. Soft citrus production is expected to remain stable (-0.11%) at 3 million tons. An 8.28% growth is projected for lemon production (4.7 million tons in total). Grapefruit production should decrease slightly (-0.58%) compared to 2021, down to 436,386 tons.
Eric Imbert, technical secretariat of WCO, said, “The Southern Hemisphere citrus export continues to grow, especially lemons and easy peelers. The Southern Hemisphere today represents 27% of the global citrus market.”
The WCO is a global platform for dialogue and action that brings together citrus-producing countries. The primary objective of the WCO is to facilitate collective action in the citrus sector, for both fresh and processed categories.
WCO members recently gathered for their annual general meeting, during which South Africa and Spain were re-elected to head the organization for another two years.
Source: World Citrus Organisation
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