In a recent interview with Canal E, José Carbonell, president of the Argentine Citrus Federation, spoke about the reasons behind the 70% increase in lemon prices, which now range between $4,000 and $5,000 per kilo. Carbonell attributed this increase to the seasonal nature of production, adverse weather factors, and challenges in export competitiveness. There's a lack of lemon during summer as demand grows because production peaks between March and September. This situation was aggravated by the July 2023 frosts, which reduced current production and led to notable shortages.
To face this shortage, the country has imported lemons from Chile, Spain, and Egypt, albeit in limited volumes. "The shortage is a temporary phenomenon that will end in March when the plants will once again have plenty of fruits. Then, prices will drop significantly," Carbonell stated. However, price fluctuations affect the producers' profitability, especially during winter, when oversupply depresses prices to levels that compromise the sector's economic viability. As a result of this dynamic, since 2019 more than 100 producers have quit growing lemons and 15,000 hectares that were devoted to this product have been converted to other crops.
Argentina is a world-leading producer of industrial lemon derivatives, as approximately two-thirds of these products on the global market are of Argentine origin. "Of the 2 million tons produced annually, around 200,000 are destined for the domestic market, 250,000 for fresh fruit exports, and the rest for the industry," Carbonell stated.
In 2024, fresh fruit exports fell due to restrictions imposed by the European Union for phytosanitary reasons, which prompted exporters to diversify markets towards the United States, Brazil, Ecuador, and Mexico.
The Argentine citrus sector faces serious competitiveness problems, affected by the high tax burden, lack of credit, and high logistics costs.
Source: perfil.com