Orange production in Chile will increase by 6.1% and total 174,000 metric tons (MT) in 2022–23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) estimated recently. Yields are up due to increased rainfall and no damage from frost.
ACREAGE
In 2022–23, orange area planted in Chile totaled 6,362 hectares, unchanged from 2021–22. The total orange area planted has remained steady at around 6,300 hectares since 2018–19.
Orange production in Chile takes place in the central part of the country. The Metropolitana and the O’Higgins regions are the top orange-producing regions in Chile, holding 39.3% and 31.3% of the orange area planted, respectively. Area planted in the Metropolitana and O’Higgins regions increased in the past three marketing years by 8.5% and 13.5%, respectively.
TRADE
In 2022–23, Chilean exports of oranges are projected to increase by 4.7% and total 90,000 MT due to recovered production. In Chile, the orange marketing year starts in April with the beginning of the harvest season. The bulk of Chilean orange exports takes place between July and September each year and peaks around August.
In 2021–22, orange exports decreased by 22.6% from 2020–21 and totaled 81,062 MT. In 2021–22, exports to the United States decreased by 23.3% and totaled 73,916 MT, which represents 91.2% of Chilean orange exports. Chile exported oranges to various other countries, such as the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Canada.
In 2021–22, Chile imported 1,704 MT of oranges, a 45.2% decrease from 2020–21 due to high inflation, which pressed down Chilean purchasing power. The United States was the main supplier of oranges to Chile, with 91.3% market share totaling 1,555 MT. Chile imported the remaining share of oranges from Argentina.
See the full USDA FAS report on Chilean citrus.
Source: USDA FAS
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