European Union (EU) production of oranges and orange juice (OJ) are projected to decline in 2022–23 from the prior year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) projected.
ORANGES
Orange production in the EU is forecast at 5.8 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022–23, a 12% reduction from the prior season. The decline is mainly explained by production declines in Spain and Italy, which produce more than 50% and 25% of EU oranges, respectively. Orange production is the largest citrus category within the EU, accounting for over 55% of total citrus production.
Orange production in Spain is projected to decline by 20%. Italy’s production is forecast to decrease slightly. Greece’s orange production is expected to increase by approximately 4%, and Portugal’s production is expected to be down by 20% to 30%.
While farmers in Italy and Greece are shifting from orange production to more profitable permanent crops such as avocados or persimmons, area planted to orange groves in Spain continues to expand.
European exports of fresh oranges are anticipated to decline below the previous season’s level, to 390,000 metric tons (MT) in 2022–23. The EU is the world’s leader in fresh orange exports. Main destinations for EU oranges, primarily exported by Spain, include the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Norway, Serbia and Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia.
ORANGE JUICE
EU OJ production in 2022–23 is forecast at 54,963 MT, down from the 77,522 MT estimated for the prior year.
The volume of oranges devoted for processing depends on overall orange production levels and the quality and size of the fruit obtained. Given the anticipated significant decline in the EU’s orange production and the good prices that farmers receive for fresh oranges, the processing sector is expected to see its feedstock reduced.
EU OJ exports are projected at 82,000 MT in 2022–23, down from 111,765 MT the prior year. The United Kingdom is by far the largest destination for EU OJ.
See the full USDA FAS report on EU citrus here.
Source: USDA FAS
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