According to early estimates, lemon production in Tucumán is likely to be 20-30 per cent down this season on last year's high volume year, although the effect on exports should be minimal.

A season preview published today in the Tucumán regional weekly La Gaceta Rural, indicates that the near drought conditions since the spring and a serious lack of water have affected volumes.

First fruit is being harvested in some areas although the harvest for export will not begin in earnest until next month.

Producers, particularly those in the north of the region where drought has been most severe, are hoping that the next six weeks will bring better fortune in terms of the weather. A recent rainfall is already benefiting their crops.

The press report suggests that volumes for the processing industry are likely to bear the brunt of a reduced crop as growers prioritise the export market. Quality at this early stage is forecast to be very good as the dry conditions have made it hard for pest and disease to survive.

Sizes, however are small at this early point in fruit development and growers are hoping that rainfall will help bulk up their crops and improve the size portfolio over the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, the past year has seen considerable investment in infrastructure, La Gaceta reports, with new and remodelled packhouses, extended packing lines and new installations adding to capacity. There has also been investment in cold-store facilities to meet the phytosanitary demands of the Japanese export market.

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