After the frosts of September 2016, the weather in 2017 was no more favourable for Argentinean producers: a summer heatwave, and torrential rain in March. The harvest level promises to be better in 2018, though without reaching its full potential because of another hot summer, especially in the Tucumán zone. Hence the lemon harvest is reportedly up by approximately 100 000 t to reach 1.4 million tonnes (+ 8 % on 2017 and + 2 % above the 2-year average). Will the reopening of the US borders, finally taking effect in 2018, be able to offset the downward trend in shipments to the EU-28 and Asia, where South Africa is gaining ground? The question is up in the air, but the level of green/yellow coloration required for fruits aimed at the big US market leaves some doubt over whether massive volumes can be shipped. The production of easy peelers and orange will climb considerably, to + 33 % and + 20 % above the 2-year average, respectively. The near-structural downward trend in exports of these two citruses, due to the country’s lack of competitiveness, could well be extended nonetheless.
Source: USDA
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