W30: Lemon and Lime Update

In W30 in the lemon and lime landscape, the Interprofessional Lemon and Grapefruit Association (Ailimpo) predicts a 30% increase in Fino lemon production for Spain’s 2023/24 campaign, reaching 990 thousand tons. This is a 30% increase year-over-year (YoY) and a return to 2020/21 levels, where production reached 980 thousand tons. The first harvest estimate will be confirmed on Sep-23 and may be affected by weather conditions, water availability, and new plantation entries. Over the last six years, the lemon surface of the Fino variety has increased by 5.6 thousand hectares (ha), rising from 25.6 ha in 2017 to 31.2 ha in 2023, showing a growth of 22%, according to official data from Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA).

In Brazil, the prices of Tahiti acid limes are steadily increasing in domestic and foreign markets. The limited supply of this variety is benefiting producers with higher remuneration. The quotation for Tahiti acid lime in the market is USD 9.18/kg (BRL 43.37/27kg), a 10.08% increase compared to the previous price. Furthermore, in São Paulo, Brazil, the reduced supply of Tahiti lime has caused a price increase. In Jul-23, the average price reached USD 6.90/box (BRL 32.61/box), a 74.85% higher month-on-month (MoM) and 103.3% higher YoY. The limited supply is expected to continue in Jul-23 and might decrease further in Aug-23. The international demand for Brazilian Tahiti lime is also increasing, especially in Europe, due to the summer season and the low supply of Tahiti limes in Mexico, Brazil's main competitor in the lime market.

In Turkey, the Ulugöz District lemon garden is expected to yield 25 tons of lemons, while the total lemon harvest in Silifke this 2023 is predicted to be 25 tons. Overall, Turkey is expected to produce 250 tons of lemons in 2023, with 25 tons coming from Silifke. The harvest in Silifke in 2023 also includes the first lime-type lemons, which are sold for USD 1.85/each (TRY 50/each).