W49: Lemon and Lime Weekly Report
Turkey
The Most Popular Product of the Markets in Aydın, Turkey Was Lemon (Dec 5)
As the weather started to cool in Aydın, citizens chose fruits rich in vitamin C. Lemon was the favorite product of the stalls. The sales price of lemons in the Aydin market stood at USD 0.27-0.32 (TRY 5-6) in wholesale and USD 0.54-0.80 (TRY 10-15) at the market stalls.
The EU Will Inspect 30% Of the Trucks With Turkish Lemon at the Border (Dec 5)
Ailimpo, the Spanish lemon and grapefruit interprofessional expressed this Monday its "satisfaction" with the decision adopted by the European Commission (EC) to increase the control of pesticides of both citrus fruits originating in Turkey whose destination is the community market. It is to "defend the interests of European consumers and to strengthen the position of lemon and grapefruit in Spain", according to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). Ailimpo says there has been a "sharp increase" in the entry of fruit with high levels of pesticides. Specifically, the EC has modified Implementing Regulation 2019/1793, and the percentage of control goes from 10 % to 30% in the case of grapefruit, and from 20% to 30% for lemons.
In W48, the First Arrival of Turkish Lemon for the 2022 Season in Japan Market (Dec 6)
In W48, the first container of Turkish lemon arrived in Japan, without significant damages from cold treatment, maintaining decent quality. This December 2022, more containers—up to 70FCLs in total—of not just lemons but also oranges and grapefruits are expected to arrive from the same supplier. That supplier and its buyer is currently examining charter-vessel-use possibility, with departures in January 2023, in hopes of preceding the US citrus for wider market penetration (Japanese market) in late February 2023 and onwards.
The European Commission has approved tighter controls on pesticides in Turkish lemons and grapefruits imported into the EU. It comes after the Spanish association Ailimpo expressed concern over the release of official data. It prompted amendments to EU Regulation 2019/1793 increasing the control percentage from 10% to 30% for grapefruits and from 20% to 30% for lemons. The measure will come into force in early January and will be valid for six months. Turkey exported almost 620K tons of lemons worth USD 296M in 2014/15, a 38% increase from 2021. Export was carried out mainly to Russia, Iraq, and Ukraine. Turkey is one of the main exporters of citrus fruits to Russia. In the 2020/21 season, Turkey's grapefruit exports reached nearly 161K tons worth USD 89M. The top export destinations were Russia, Poland, and Ukraine. However, export volumes decreased compared to 2021 due to an increase in the number of checks for residues in products sent to Europe.
Brazil
Tahiti Lime Prices Fall Sharply at the Beginning of the Month (Dec 9)
Tahiti acid lime prices are falling sharply in early December 2022 in Brazil. According to Cepea collaborators, the scenario is due to the increase in supply, since the maturation of the fruit was favored by the return of more regular rains. In addition, the availability of quality fruit is gradually recovering. In this scenario and quotations reached high levels from August to mid-November 2022. The average price in W49 stood at USD 4.77/box of 27 kg (BRL 25.36/box of 27 kg), a devaluation of 44.41% compared to W48 and 24% lower than in December 2021.
In Brazil, Tahiti Lime Price Plummets 44.4% In the Week (Dec 9)
Tahiti acid lime prices are plummeting in early December 2022. The scenario is due to the increase in supply since the maturation of the fruit was favored by the return of more regular rains. The average price for a harvested 27kg box in W49 is USD 4.60 9BRL 24.48), down 46.3% from W48.
Germany
Lime Prices in the German Market Fell 16.7% Mom in W48 Due to Low Demand (Dec 6)
With a generally slow wholesale market and hospitality industry, German importers expect lime prices to fall even further in the coming week. In early November, around W44, the market was relatively stable at around USD 9.45/4.5kg box, whereas in early December, or W48, the lime price fell by 16.7% MoM to USD 7.87/4.5kg and lower. Before Christmas, the price of lime is expected to fall to around USD 6.30/4.5kg.
