According to EastFruit, Egypt has significantly increased its citrus exports to Brazil in the first few months of this year. Notably, Egyptian citrus only entered the Brazilian market in 2020, but since then, shipments have grown rapidly.
In 2020, Egypt exported a mere 75 tons of citrus to Brazil. However, by 2023, exports surged to over 14,000 tons. Impressively, during the first four months of this year alone, Egyptian exporters sold more than 31,000 tons of citrus to Brazil, setting a new record and outpacing Spain, their main competitor, by threefold.
Oranges remain the cornerstone of Egyptian citrus exports to Brazil, with Egypt leading in shipments since 2022. Throughout 2023, Egyptian exporters supplied nearly 12,000 tons of oranges to the Brazilian market, and from January to April 2024, this figure increased to 24,000 tons.
Additionally, Egypt successfully exported almost 7,000 tons of mandarins to Brazil during the specified months of this year, compared to just 2,000 tons in the previous year. Lemon and grapefruit exports from Egypt to Brazil were less substantial, at 500 tons and 190 tons, respectively.
Brazil, the world's second-largest citrus producer after China, holds the top position in the orange segment. However, most Brazilian oranges are processed into juice rather than sold fresh, making the country a net importer of fresh oranges. A similar status applies to mandarins and grapefruits. Thus, Brazil is a net exporter only for lemons, with export volumes reaching almost 170,000 tons in 2023.
Regarding citrus imports, Brazil primarily relies on supplies from Egypt, Spain, and other South American suppliers. Egypt and Spain dominate the Brazilian market from December to May. In June, importers shift their focus to Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile.
Source: east-fruit.com