In W42 in the lemon and lime landscape, Colombia continues to participate in the global lemon market significantly in 2023. The United States (US) is the leading importer of Colombian lemons, with a 72.21% market share, followed by the United Kingdom (UK) at 8.01%, and Cuba at 6.55%. These figures indicate the increasing global demand for Colombian lemons. The Colombian lemon export industry has seen fluctuations in recent years. In 2021, it reached a record high of USD 762.6 million in exports, but dropped to USD 471.99 million in 2022. These fluctuations underscore the dynamic nature of the market and its growth potential.
Peruvian lemon prices dropped considerably after lemon production increased, resulting in higher daily tonnage records. Currently, lemon prices stand at USD 0.78 per kilogram (PEN 3/kg) in the major markets of the capital. Moreover, Peruvian lemon exports reached 1.7 thousand tons valued at USD 2.2 million in Aug-23, a 5% year-over-year (YoY) decrease in volume and a 4% YoY drop in value. The decline was primarily due to reduced demand from the US by 6.28% to 2.61% and from the UK by 12% to 2.4%.
Argentina and Uruguay lemons continued to enter the Brazilian wholesale market during W42, and this trend is forecasted to persist for another two to three weeks. However, there may be a decrease in available volumes during this time. In W42, lemons stood at approximately USD 10 to 11 per 15-kilogram (kg) box on Free Carrier (FCA) Incoterms. Including inland freight costs, the average price upon arrival is around USD 12.5 to 13.5/15-kg box.
The Kozan district in Adana, Turkey, exports an average of 25 thousand tons of lemons annually, mainly to European countries –with Germany, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and Iraq being significant markets. Their quality makes Kozan lemons in demand in local and international markets. The demand for Kozan lemons tends to increase, particularly as the weather turns colder in Germany and other parts of Europe. Approximately 2.5 thousand tons were sent to Germany alone and a total annual export of around 60 thousand tons.
Lastly, California lemon production has decreased in the 2022/23 season, from 26.5 million boxes to 23 million. Meanwhile, Arizona lemon production is forecast at 1.5 million boxes, an increase from 1.4 million boxes.