Ilya Bereznyuk, managing partner of Agro and Food Communications, noted that restricting lemon exports from Turkey will not impact Russian prices. In an interview, Bereznyuk stated, "Apart from Turkey, lemons are imported to Russia from Argentina, South Africa, China, Egypt, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Brazil, Mexico, and Uruguay. If imports from Turkey are halted, distributors and retail chains can partially increase their supplies from these countries."
Bereznyuk outlined that the Turkish lemon supply typically spans late October to early April. Thus, the import suspension aligns with this schedule. He further mentioned that if Turkish citrus imports cease entirely, Russia can source more from other countries, preventing substantial price shifts for consumers.
The Turkish Ministry of Commerce announced a temporary halt on lemon exports starting April 8, citing cold weather and domestic demand. Frosts have been reported in the Mersin, Adana, and Hatay provinces.
Turkey exports a large volume of citrus fruits, with lemons and tangerines making up 70% of exports, followed by oranges at 15%. Russia is a primary recipient of Turkish lemon exports.
Source: Oreanda News