All Lemon, the quality control seal for Argentine lemon exports, has published its latest crop forecast as the 2017 campaign draws to a close.
With almost 75 per cent of the crop harvested, the association says output in Tucumán will be around 20-30 per cent down on 2016.
“There are still a few more weeks of shipments remaining but preliminary data suggests that exports of fresh lemons will be 25 per cent lower than last year, reflecting the fall in production (fresh and processed) in north western Argentina,” said All Lemon president Romain Corneille.
Carlos Parravicini, vice president of the quality seal, said the fact that there was less fruit on the trees meant it was able to size up more quickly, allowing for an earlier than usual start to shipments.
“Due to the shorter crop and early start, we don’t have much fruit left at this stage. Most packers anticipate that the last exports will be in week 30 and since week 27 volumes have dropped off sharply and are averaging around 50 per cent of what they would be in a normal year,” said Corneille.
Recent rainfall and the arrival of cooler temperatures are also likely to affect shipments in the remaining weeks of the season, All Lemon said, adding that it would redouble its commitment to maintaining quality standards during this time.
In terms of quality, 2017 has been a “record year” according to Parravicini, with the highest levels since All Lemon’s creation.
The quality seal also announced the continuation of its online promotional campaign, Think Lemon, highlighting the benefits of fresh lemons and its various applications not just as a food ingredient but also in beauty and health treatments.
