Argentina’s citrus growers will be exporting far less of their crop this year due to drought, difficult economic conditions and large volumes of fruit in Europe.

Production in the Corrientes area, which is renowned for grapefruit, oranges and easy peelers, has been hit by extremely dry conditions this season. Volume and sizes are therefore both affected.

Sector leaders in the region, as well as in Tucumán in north-western Argentina, where the majority of lemons are grown, are forecasting a fall in the proportion of exports on last season. In 2008, 23 per cent of national citrus output was exported. This year, that figure is expected to fall to 20 per cent.

The drop is mainly attributable to a decline in lemon sendings. In 2008, 31 per cent of Argentina’s lemon crop was exported, but this year it is likely to fall to just 20 per cent. Part of the problem is a huge summer lemon crop in Spain.

According to figures from the citrus association in Tucumán, exports from Argentina to week 21 (up to May 24) reached only 40,000 pallets, compared to 141,000 pallets to the same point last season.

Russia has traditionally been a major market for Argentinean citrus but a combination of a fall in buying power for Russian consumers, as well as credit insurance and financing problems experienced by importers, mean that this market is posing problems for the South Americans too.

So far, soft citrus sendings are the only ones running ahead of last year, with volumes exported up six per cent year on year.

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