Mandarin volumes adjusted downwards after wet spell, but rainfall brings welcome relief to aquifers after prolonged drought
The Chilean citrus season is progressing with significant export volumes, though recent weather events have led the industry to adjust its earlier estimates.
According to Monserrat Valenzuela, president of the Chilean Citrus Committee, the mandarin forecast has been revised downwards from 190,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes following recent rains, while clementines, oranges, and lemons are developing in line with expectations.
The clementine season has already concluded with an export volume of 64,000 tonnes and mandarin shipments are getting underway. As of last week, approximately 3,000 tonnes of mandarins had been exported – a pace Valenzuela described as normal compared to previous seasons.
The forecast for the orange export crop remains unchanged at 134,000 tonnes, with approximately 68,000 tonnes already shipped and the season moving toward its final stage. The lemon campaign, meanwhile, is around 70 per cent complete. In all, exports are projected to reach 118,000 tonnes.
Valenzuela said weather had been a decisive factor this season. Producers have had to contend with both frontal systems and frost events. However, she noted that citrus orchards now possess a greater capacity to anticipate and respond to low-temperature events. Continuous monitoring using thermographs and other tools makes it possible to identify temperature variations – even within a single property – and to timely activate protection systems such as water, heating, or fans, depending on the technology available at each operation.
Rainfall, on the other hand, has had a dual effect. While it temporarily slowed down harvests and led to adjustments in certain export volumes, it has significantly improved the outlook for water availability compared to previous seasons. Valenzuela said current water reserves could provide the industry with a reprieve of approximately four years, following a prolonged period of drought.
A key feature of the Chilean citrus business remains its heavy reliance on the US market. Around 99 per cent of clementine and mandarin exports are destined for the US, together with almost 80 per cent of orange shipments.
Lemons are somewhat more diversified – the US receives approximately 60 per cent of exports, while Chile also has a significant domestic market and other international destinations, including Japan.
This heavy concentration on the US makes the most recent tariffs imposed by Trump all the more concerning for growers and exporters. At present, oranges are the only citrus product that are exempt from the import tax. Frutas de Chile has been working to provide technical and commercial data to Chilean authorities to support efforts aimed at securing the elimination of these levies, something that Valenzuela said she hoped would happen soon.
At the same time, efforts are underway to diversify the country’s export markets. Chile faces stiff competition from other Southern Hemisphere suppliers like South Africa, Peru, Uruguay, Argentina and Australia. This compels the industry not only to seek out markets but also to differentiate itself through product condition, quality, varieties, and compliance with commercial requirements.
Latin America is emerging as one region with growth potential, particularly for oranges. Valenzuela described Mexico – which gave the green light to Chilean citrus imports two years ago – as a significant market capable of absorbing substantial volumes of oranges, mandarins, and lemons.
