The Lemon Focus Group of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) met on the 30th of July to review export estimates. Although the lemon season is drawing to a close, and some areas have finished packing, feedback from the remaining harvesting areas has necessitated a further downward adjustment of the overall export estimate.
At the start of the lemon season, the export of 37,9 million 15kg cartons of lemons was projected. This has been reduced during meetings held throughout the season. This week’s adjustment brings the total estimate for 2024 exports of lemons to 33,9 million cartons. Last year, Southern Africa exported 35,6 million cartons.
Adjustments this week by the Sundays River Valley (down almost 1 million cartons) and the Western Cape (Citrusdal down 100 000 cartons) were the most significant. Strong winds in the Sundays River Valley and flooding in Citrusdal have had an impact on these figures.
The overall lemon estimate follows a pattern that has become clear as the citrus seasoned progressed: due to drier weather causing fruit sizes to be somewhat smaller, good local juicing prices, as well as recent severe weather events, less 15kg cartons of citrus will be exported than expected.
Leroux Venter, Chairman of the Lemon Focus Group, contextualised the adjustment: “There is a clear swing in the figures. It has been a very unusual season. While there was an initial concern that there might be an oversupply of lemons, this is definitely not the case anymore. Supply will be relatively stable and the demand, especially in Europe, looks good.”
