Chile's citrus exports to Japan, mainly focused on lemons, have increased significantly. By week 31, Chile has exported 56,324 tons of lemons, i.e. 32% more than in the same period of the previous season. In total, 61.9% of the lemon exported went to the United States. 34.7% went to Asia and 14,349 tons were sent to Japan.
"Japan is the second most important market for Chilean shipments of fresh lemons after the United States. In the 2023 season, it accounted for 62% of all Chilean fresh lemon exports, followed by Japan with 25%," stated Monserrat Valenzuela, Frutas de Chile's Citrus Committee's executive director.
Compared to previous seasons, Chilean lemon export volumes to Japan have had little variation. Chile shipped 90,850 tons of lemon abroad in the 2020 season. The United States and Asia were its main destinations. In the 2023 season, Chile exported 67,545 tons of lemons to the United States, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Canada.
Frutas de Chile's Citrus Committee carries out promotional campaigns in Japan to highlight the characteristics of the Chilean lemon. These campaigns include events aimed at specialized media, representatives of importers, and the retail sector, focusing on Chilean lemons' quality, availability, and healthy attributes.
"Japan is a very demanding market, where it is essential to maintain quality and consistency," Valenzuela said. The committee's executive director stressed the importance of maintaining the high quality of the shipments to compete in the Japanese market, especially against other suppliers in the southern hemisphere such as South Africa and Australia.
Chile is positioned as a key supplier of lemons in Japan, covering the demand between July and September, and standing out for meeting the Japanese market's food safety and quality standards requirements.
Source: simfruit.cl