In May this year, Russia imported 5,600 tons of oranges, mandarins, grapefruits, and lemons from Turkey, down by half compared to previous years. RIA Novosti reports that oranges dropped drastically to 77 tons annually, making up just 1% of Turkish imports versus 10% last year. Mandarin imports fell to 411 tons (7% of imports), while lemon purchases decreased to 2,200 tons. Grapefruits, however, grew sixfold to 2,900 tons, claiming 52% of exports.
Despite these changes, Turkey still holds a significant position in Russia's citrus market, supplying 11% of all citrus and 23-25% of oranges in retail chains.
According to Igor Karavaev, chairman of AKORT, Russian stores haven't cut back on citrus varieties, including Turkish oranges. Besides Turkey, Russia also imports oranges from Morocco, Egypt, Iran, and Brazil.
Source: ria.ru