W12: Weekly Orange Update

Brazil

Brazilian Orange Imports Increase a 5% In the First Two Months of 2023 (Mar 23)

Brazil imported 5.5K MT of oranges in 2023 up to February, a YoY increase of 5%. The origin of oranges was in Egypt and Spain. Egypt had a 27.1% increase YoY in volume, representing 75% of the total imported oranges, and Spain had a decrease of 22.8% in orange imports to Brazil. The main variety of the first two months of the year was Navel.

End-of-Month Compromises Demand for Oranges in Brazil (Mar 24)

The demand for oranges was slow in W12 due to the end of the month, but prices remained stable. The pear variety had an average of USD 9.26/box of 40.8 kg (BRL 47.85/box of 40.8 kg), a slight drop of 0.83%. The ruby variety was sold for USD 7.36/cx (BRL 38/cx), stable in the same period.

United States

Florida Processed Orange Standards Reduced (Mar 21)

The Florida Citrus Commission reduced processed orange maturity standards due to Hurricane Ian, requiring a Brix value of 7 and no minimum ratio of solids to citric acid.

Egypt

The Price of Egyptian Oranges Increased in China Due to the Low Supply of Domestic Oranges in W11 (Mar 20)

In W10, the price of a high-quality brand of Egyptian oranges was USD 17.45-20.35/15kg (RMB 120-140/15kg), while the price of a normal-quality brand was USD 14.54-15.99/15kg (RMB 100-110/15kg) in China. Due to a decrease in the supply of domestic oranges, the selling price has gradually increased in W11; a 15kg bag of high-quality oranges stood at USD18.90-21.81/15kg (RMB 130-150/15kg). But for the normal-quality brand, the price is still around USD 14.54-15.99/15kg (RMB 100-110/15kg).

Iran

The First Orange From Mazandaran Arrived in China (Mar 26)

The President's delegation visited China and announced that oranges from Mazandaran, Iran, have reached the Chinese markets for the first time. Alireza Peyman Pak, the head of the Trade Development Organization, explained that Iran's export portfolio to China has mainly been petrochemical products and mineral raw materials, but to increase the variety of exported products to China, they obtained the license to export citrus fruits. In March 2022, Iran and China signed three agricultural agreements to export Iranian dairy and agricultural products to China.

Japan

Japanese Importer Organizes Egyptian Valencia Orange Program for the 2023 Season (Mar 24)

An importer in the Kansai area has arranged a weekly shipment of Egyptian Valencia oranges. Eight containers expect to arrive in Japan during this season in 2023, with the first one anticipated to arrive in early April 2023. The importer tries to promote Egyptian Valencia oranges at a more competitive price, than the US Navel oranges with higher import costs. The importer also sees a business opportunity to promote Egyptian oranges during this April and May 2023, thanks to its seasonality; those two months are when orange entry from the US is mostly with navels, and the US valencia oranges usually do not enter Japan until it finishes its Navel orange supply.

Morocco

In February, Morocco Was the Main Supplier of Easy Peelers to the EU (Mar 23)

Morocco is an important producer and exporter of fruits and vegetables to various international markets, including the European Union. In February, the EU imported 48,570 tons of oranges, with 44,441 coming from Egypt and 3,590 from other sources. Morocco was the primary supplier with 18,167T, followed by Israel with 10,303T, Turkey with 13,995T, and Egypt with 6,203T.

Spain

The ‘False Moth’ Detected in Israel Should Force the EU to Extend the Application of Cold Treatment (Mar 21)

The Citrus Management Committee (CGC) has demanded an investigation into the scope of breaches in the application of the treatment of cold against the 'False moth' in European imports of oranges from South Africa. The cold treatment did not comply with international regulations, and the required temperature was not applied to the pulp.

Spanish Navel Price Increased in W12 Due to a Supply Shortage (Mar 22)

The Spanish Navel Orange campaign continues, with the Lane Late production window ending and the Powell variety starting production. The shortage in 2023 is causing producers to allocate practically no volume for exports, with the European market being the main destination absorbing Spanish production. The prices are increasing weekly, with the W12 price at USD 1.15/kg EXW Spain, an increase of USD 0.11/kg WoW.