The decrease in EU Mandarin and orange production wasn’t compensated for by the increased production of grapefruit and lemon. EU fruit production has been focused within regions in the Mediterranean region. Spain and Italy constitute the largest EU producer of citrus and are being followed by Greece, Portugal, and Cyprus.

The EU is the largest net importer of citrus fruits, with imports generally surpassing exports. Much of the commerce is carried out within the EU, going from producers to producing to EU member states. As trade on Asian routes becoming more challenging, EU neighboring citrus producers located in regions of the Mediterranean Basin (such as Egypt or Turkey) have shifted on exports to the EU. This is especially true throughout the first quarter of the year’s marketing season that coincides in the Northern Hemisphere citrus producing season and leading to greater competition within the region. EU citrus exports during MY 2023/24, which are mainly focused in non-EU member European nations, are expected to be down only a little.

Following record-setting volumes in the outbreak the consumption of fresh citrus is expected to rebound to levels pre-pandemic. Then, in MY 2023/24, cold winter temperatures discouraged the consumption of citrus. Additionally, the trend downwards of consumption has been triggered by people responding to rising prices by reducing their spending and decreasing their fruit consumption and others shifting to alternatives to citrus fruits like exotic fruits. EU commercial uses of citrus are only just a tiny portion of the consumption, are expected to increase because new markets for the citrus product develop.

For the period 2023/24 of MY2023/24, EU orange production is expected to reach just below 5.4 million MT. This is slightly less than the already low EU production of oranges in the MY 2022/23. Orange production is the most important segment of citrus in the EU and Spain is responsible for 50% of all the production in the EU. In excess rain during the setting of fruit hot and drought conditions, as well as restrictions on irrigation reduced yields, and adversely affected dimensions of fruit. A higher production in Italy didn’t suffice to make up for the loss of productivity in Spain as well as in lesser degree also in Greece as well as Portugal.

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Source: fas.usda.gov