Global production of oranges and soft citrus will increase slightly in 2021, while lemons are expected to experience a drop, a USDA report noted.
The report Semi-annual Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) said orange production is forecast to increase 7% to 49.4 million tons. This was thanks to the favorable climate that led to larger crops in Brazil and Mexico, offsetting the decreases in Turkey and the United States.
Orange production in the EU from Egypt is also forecast to increase in the 2020-21 season, with a small rebound also expected in South Africa in 2021.
Global mandarin production is forecast to increase slightly to 33.1 million tonnes with increased supplies from China, the EU, Morocco, Turkey and the US.
Lemons and limes are the only citrus category in which a decline is forecast, the report noted. Volumes were estimated to drop slightly to 8.3 million tonnes with la lower production in Argentina and the United States offset the gains in the European Union and Mexico.
Furthermore, an increase in world exports is forecast with less fruit used for processing.
Grapefruit production is forecast to increase slightly to a record 6.9 million tonnes due to favorable weather and expanded area in China and Mexico, the EU, US and South Africa also expect increases.
Oranges
In oranges, Mexico’s production is forecast to recover by more than half to 4.0 million tonnes after drought decimated last year’s crop.
However, US production is likely to fall 13% to 4.1 million tonnes and Florida production is forecast to decline 20% due to an above-average drop. The drop is likely to lead to higher imports to the US.
EU production is forecast to increase 6% to 6.6 million tonnes due to favorable weather and an increase in harvested area as new orchards in Italy start producing.
The report added that South African production is expected to increase 3% to 1.7 million tonnes due to expected normal weather conditions; an increase in the area harvested with new plantations of high-yielding varieties; late ripening and better water management.
Egypt’s production is forecast to increase by 200,000 tonnes to 3.4 million tonnes due to an increase in harvested area and favorable weather during flow and fruit set.
Soft citrus
For mandarins, EU production is expected to increase 10% to 3.1 million tonnes due to favorable weather.
Turkey and Morocco expect large increases of 25% and 30%, respectively, to reach 1.8 million tonnes and 1.2 million tonnes. No information was provided for South Africa.
US production is forecast to increase 5% to 882,000 tons due to a larger harvest in California. Record imports are also expected this year.
Lemons and limes
For lemons and limes, Mexico’s production is forecast to expand 6% to 2.9 million tons with favorable weather, while US production is forecast to decline 6% to 940,000 tons for a smaller harvest in California.
They reported that Argentina’s production will drop sharply by 30% to 1.0 million tons due to unfavorable weather.
On the other hand, EU production will increase by 11% to 1.6 million tonnes as a result of favorable weather and a larger harvested area; while Turkey’s production will increase 5% to 1.0 million tons.
South African production is forecast to rise 2% to a record 670,000 tonnes as a result of favorable weather and larger area. Improved supplies are expected to lead to record exports for the fifth year in a row.
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