The volume of lemons sent to Europe from the Southern Hemisphere has plummeted by 40 per cent in 2014 (not including Russia or the United Kingdom).
Argentina, a primary provider of lemons to the European market (74 per cent last year), has seen a 55-per-cent drop in exports to Europe (110,000 tonnes fewer than 2013).
The central reason for the shrinkage of this particular market is the elevation in price, which is €0.5 greater per kilo of lemons, reaching €2 per kilo at week 33.
Europe has turned to South Africa to partially offset the reduction in Argentinian lemons entering the Continent (the increase stands at 9 per cent – 5,200 tonnes more than in 2013). To lesser extents, shipments have increased from Peru, Australia and Uruguay.
© 2014 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article written by Peter Donnelly.