Global citrus production on the rise

The latest USDA report on global citrus has forecast both orange and mandarin production will increase in the 2023/24 season (12 months to 30 June 2024 for the Northern Hemisphere and 31 December 2024 for the Southern Hemisphere). This is anticipated due to favourable weather in Turkey increasing yield and offsetting dips in production supply elsewhere. According to the report, global orange production is forecast up slightly to 48.8m tonnes with lower production in Brazil and the European Union (EU) offset by larger crops in Argentina, the US and Turkey. Brazil production is anticipated to decrease by 173,000 tonnes to 16.5m due to unfavourable weather during the second bloom, resulting in a reduced fruit set. EU production is also expected to decline with the USDA projecting volumes of 5.5 m tonnes due to dry and unusually warm summer conditions. In contrast, US production is forecast up by 280,000 tonnes to 2.5m tonnes rebounding from losses due to Hurricane Ian the year ...