In marketing year (MY) 2024/25, due to the increase in area planted and assuming regular yields, Post estimates that lemon production will grow by 2.6 percent, reaching 197,000 metric tons (MT). Chilean lemon exports will increase by 3.3 percent, totaling 93,000 metric tons. In MY 2024/25, Post estimates orange production will increase by 2.2 percent and total 190,000 metric tons, due to higher orange area planted and assuming regular yields. Orange exports will follow and increase by 3.0 percent totaling 103,000 metric tons. In MY 2024/25, mandarin production will increase by 13.1 percent and a total of 250,000 metric tons due to higher area planted. Likewise, mandarin exports will reach 218,000 MT which represents a 14.1 percent increase from MY 2023/24.
Production
In MY 2024/25, due to the increase in area planted and assuming regular yields, Post estimates that lemon production will grow by 2.6 percent, reaching 197,000 metric tons. The area planted with lemons is expected to reach 10,400 hectares (ha) in MY 2024/25, representing a 4.8 percent increase from MY 2023/24.
Farmers have found lemon production and exports to be a profitable alternative to other crops, such as avocados, due to higher prices and lower water requirements. The area planted with lemons in Chile has grown consistently over the past 10 marketing years. Lemon production spans from the Coquimbo region in the northern part of the country to the O'Higgins region towards Chile's central south.
However, over 40 percent of the area planted is in the Metropolitana region, in the central part of Chile. The lemon area planted grew in all producing regions except O'Higgins where it decreased by 2.1 percent. The Chilean lemon harvest begins in April. During the Chilean winter, from June to September, international prices exceed domestic prices, prompting most Chilean producers to export lemons to North America, Europe, and Asia. During the summer months, from December to March, when the production volume decreases and domestic prices are high, Chilean lemon production is sold in the domestic market.
For more information:
USDA
Tel: +1 (202) 720-2791
Email: [email protected]
www.usda.gov