Great improvement expected in Chilean citrus exports

Chile is projected to export approximately 345,000 tons of citrus during the 2023 season, according to the ASOEX Citrus Committee. This projection shows a significant improvement from the previous season, which experienced low export rates due to climate issues, rising shipping costs, and logistics problems. The current projections suggest that clementines, lemons, oranges, and mandarins will be exported in an average season, with estimated volumes of 55,000 tons, 75,000 tons, 90,000 tons, and 125,000 tons, respectively.

The rains during the previous season helped alleviate the water deficit, especially in the Coquimbo region, which is expected to produce very good fruit size. Moreover, the cool autumn nights and warm days have positively impacted color and Brix levels. The season began in week 15, with the first shipments of clementines, and as of week 18, 2,270 tons have already been shipped from the port of Valparaíso to the United States.

During the 2022 season, the US was the primary market for Chilean citrus exports, with 99% of clementine shipments, 97% of mandarin shipments, and 92% of orange shipments going to the US. Concerning lemons, 55% of the total 56,260 tons were exported to the US, while 38% went to the Far East, 6% to Europe, and the remainder to Latin America and Canada.