W2 Lemon and Lime Update: Murcia's Fine Lemon Campaign Commences Amidst Supply and Quality Issues, Guadalhorce Valley Harvest Nears Bankruptcy, Tahiti Lime Prices Surge, and Tajikistan Overcomes Challenges for High Citrus Harvest in 2023.

Lemon Campaign Commences in Murcia, Spain Amid Supply Pressures and Quality Concerns in Jan-24

The fine lemon campaign in Murcia, Spain, begins on Jan-24, with producers facing supply pressures. The quality of each batch determines sales options and price, as destruction by pests, wind, and stones affects commercial fruit value. The processing industry works at its theoretical capacity, but Argentina’s supply overwhelms weak demand for juice and oil. Reflecting on new plantations and early rootstocks may help manage production.

Lemon Harvest in Guadalhorce, Spain Threatened by Price Drop and Imports

The Guadalhorce Valley lemon harvest faces bankruptcy due to falling prices and increased imports from South Africa and Turkey, which do not meet European standards, primarily because they lack specific treatments such as cold treatment, a requirement to prevent the access of pests like the False codling moth. Farmers were forced to leave the harvest unpicked, with conventional prices dropping to USD 0.15 and organic ones to USD 0.20. The price discrepancy from the field to the consumer table reached an alarming 683% difference on Nov-23, adversely impacting the region's status as the leading lemon producer in Andalusia.

Brazilian Tahiti Lime Prices Rose 3.71% WoW Amid Decreased Supply

Recent rain has led to a reduction in the supply of Tahiti limes in the Brazilian market. Despite the low quality of the harvested fruit, prices have slightly increased for the current week. In W2, the fruit is negotiated at USD 2.71/27-kilogram (kg) box, representing a 3.71% week-on-week (WoW) rise.

Tajikistan's Lemon Harvest and Exports Soared in 2023

In 2023, Tajikistan's citrus growers achieved a high harvest of lemons, with exports increasing by 65% year-on-year (YoY). The surge in demand led to a threefold increase in lemon prices, enabling growers to cover losses from the previous year's low prices. Despite the challenging winter, lemon production is expected to reach 7 thousand tons. The country plans to increase land for lemon cultivation by 300 hectares (ha). Over 50% of Tajik-produced lemons are exported to Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and other countries.