U.S. growers produced 1.12 million tons of lemons in 2022–23, an increase of 5.5% (or 58,000 tons) from last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA ERS) reported. One third of these lemons went to processing with the remainder going to the fresh market. California lemon production experienced rising acreage and yields with growers in that state producing 1.06 million tons in 2022–23, marking a 50-year record.
Arizona supplied 5% of the U.S. lemon crop this season (56,000 tons). This is the second year there has been an increase in the Arizona crop since the uncharacteristically low yield of the 2020–2021 season. The 2022–23 increase in the Arizona lemon crop was due to favorable weather and increased yields (219 boxes an acre). Yields were high enough in 2022–23 to offset losses from further attrition of Arizona’s lemon acreage. Current lemon acreage in Arizona is 6,400 acres, 300 fewer than in the 2021–22 season.
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