The year 2020 turns out to be positive for Argentinian lemon and prospects for the next season

For the next season, forecasts indicate a volume of 200,000 to 220,000 tonnes of lemons exported.

 

 

This year in Argentina despite the significant drop in lemon production which totaled 1.5 million tonnes (1.85 million tonnes last year), the volume of fruit exported made this campaign positive.

 

 

Of the total volume produced in 2020, 80% of which came from the Tucumán region, around 1,100,000 tonnes were intended for industrial purposes, around 145,000 tonnes for consumption on the local market and 254,000 tonnes for export in the form of of fresh fruit. This exported volume generated approximately $242 million in revenue.

 

 

In 2020, the European Union is again the main destination for Argentinian citrus fruits, with a volume of 128,400 tonnes exported. The United States is the second largest buyer of Argentinian lemons, followed by Russia and the Netherlands.

 

 

Pablo Padilla, president of Acnoa (Asociación de Citricultores del Noroeste Argentino) reported that the volume of Argentinian lemons exported to the United States in 2020 increased by almost 45% with some 34,000 tons and a value of 33 million USD against 23,500 tonnes exported the previous year. In 2021, exports are expected to reach 40,000 tonnes.

 

 

Despite the impact of the pandemic, the Argentinian lemon entered the Chinese market where a 1st shipment of 500 tonnes was exported. At the moment the sector is working on different campaigns to promote the consumption of lemon in new markets like India and China.

 

 

For the next season, a further drop in total lemon production is expected, with around 1 million tonnes or -30%. This decline is due to the period of drought and frost in recent months which affected the producing areas. Despite this expected decline, estimates point to a level of 200,000-220,000 tonnes of lemons exported.