The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) semi-annual European Union (EU) citrus report forecasts a decline in mandarin production and an increase in lemon production for 2023–24.
TANGERINES AND MANDARINS
EU tangerine and mandarin production in 2023–24 is forecast at 2.6 million metric tons (MMT), down from 2.9 MMT the prior season. USDA FAS reported that unfavorable weather conditions caused production reductions and smaller fruit size.
Tangerine and mandarin imports by the EU are forecast to be marginally down at 470,000 metric tons (MT) versus 482,000 MT the prior season. South Africa, Morocco, Israel and Turkey are the EU’s leading suppliers of mandarins and tangerines.
EU tangerine and mandarin exports are projected to hold steady at 295,000 MT in 2023–24 compared to 296,000 MT the prior year. The EU’s main export market destinations include the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ukraine, Norway and Serbia.
LEMONS
EU lemon production is forecast to recover from the low production of 1.45 MMT registered in 2022–23 and reach nearly 1.7 MMT in 2023–24. The increase is driven by both a larger area harvested and improved yields registered in Spain, the largest EU producer.
The production increase in Spain more than offsets production reductions in Italy and Greece, which combined account for nearly one third of the EU’s lemon production.
Trade data available for the first half of 2023–24 reveal an increase in EU lemon imports, to 600,000 MT from 581,000 MT the prior year. That is mainly driven by increased shipments originating in Türkiye, which is the EU’s leading supplier during the Northern Hemisphere production season. Conversely, during the off-season, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina are the leading lemon suppliers to the EU.
EU lemon exports in 2023–24 are projected above 2022–23 (140,000 MT versus 122,000 MT). Main destinations for EU lemons include the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
See the full USDA FAS semi-annual report on European citrus here.
Source: USDA FAS
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