New Jersey-based Citromax Group will make the first US-bound shipments of fresh lemons from its Argentine groves this week following the lifting of the import ban last year. The fruit is due to arrive by mid-May.
“We are very proud to say that Citromax is the only American-owned lemon producer that is packing and selling lemons into the US retail market,” said president Vivian Glueck.
“We are thrilled that the recent lifting of trade restrictions has opened up the US market, and we are moving ahead with bringing the highest quality lemon fruit to American consumers.”
Citromax is the third-largest lemon processor in the world, with more than 13,000 acres of lemon orchards in Tucumán, Argentina.
To support the company’s import activities, Citromax has recently invested more than US$250,000 into its lemon packhouse in Tucumán.
Glueck noted that, “With the recent enhancements to our facility, we are fully compliant with the rigorous standards for packaging set by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).”
The Argentine lemons will be packed and marketed under one of Citromax’s proprietary brands. The company will be working with key strategic importers, including Seald Sweet/Greenyard, Oppy and Vision Import Group.
US imports of Argentine fresh lemons into the US has had a long and difficult history. For decades, legislation prohibited importation of Argentine Lemons. In the early 2000s, the market opened briefly, only to be closed again by court order. Finally the ban was lifted in 2017.
“Citromax was there when the market opened before, and we are back again now. We plan to support this market for generations to come,” Glueck noted.
