Clementine, mandarin and orange exports will be down in 2024, but lemon shipments forecast to rise

Mandarins

Chilean citrus exports are forecast to reach 383,000 tonnes in 2024, a decrease of 4 per cent on last year, according to the latest figures from the Chilean Citrus Committee.

Clementine and mandarin exports are set to fall by 35 per cent and 9 per cent to 40,000 tonnes and 160,000 tonnes respectively, while oranges are down 2 per cent at 93,000 tonnes. Lemons have bucked the trend, with a projected rise of 33 per cent, giving an export volume of 90,000 tonnes.

Monserrat Valenzuela, manager of the Citrus Committee, said the clementine shortage was down to water restrictions in the Coquimbo Region, Chile’s main clementine-producing area. According to data from Ciren, Chile has around 4,000ha of clementines, 70 per cent of which are concentrated in Coquimbo.

Juan Ortúza, president of the Citrus Committee, commented: “We are building an industry better adapted to climate change, with a strategy aimed at facing new productive challenges, and with a focus on more sustainable production”.

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