EU citrus production drop to fuel imports - report

Citrus production in the European Union is projected to be 11% lower year-on-year in the 2019-20 season at 10.4m metric tons (MT), according to a USDA report.
This production forecast is 4% higher than previous estimates.
The USDA Gain report said that unfavorable weather conditions in Spain - the EUās leading citrus producer, along with Italy - accounts for the projected drop in overall production. However, theāÆqualityāÆof the fruitāÆis forecast to be excellent.
EU citrus consumption may rise compared to previous estimations in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the government-mandated lockdown in the EU, consumption of citrus fruit grew popular as consumers looked for food products to strengthen the immune system, the report said.
This growth in citrus consumption combined with lower EU citrus supplies pushed Spanish citrus prices upward during the first 16 weeks of 2020.
For 2019-20, EU orangeāÆproduction is forecast atāÆ6.1 MMT, almost 9% lower but 6% higher than previous estimations.
In addition, ināÆMY 2019/20,āÆEU-28āÆtangerine production is forecast toāÆlower 14% toāÆ2.7āÆMMTāÆsupported by the expected 23.8 percentāÆdropāÆin Spain.āÆāÆOver the lastāÆnineāÆyears, the EUās total orange planted has shrunk almost 13%āÆandāÆtangerines āÆ8%,āÆwhile citrusāÆfarms are increasingāÆproductivity and performance.
Similarly, 2019-20āÆEU lemonāÆproduction is forecast to⯠decreaseāÆ16% to 1.4āÆMMT.
EU grapefruitāÆproductionāÆis alsoāÆforecast toāÆdeclineāÆ11āÆpercent toāÆ96,000āÆMT, due to the expected strongāÆdeclineāÆināÆSpain,⯠EUāsāÆmajorāÆlemon and grapefruit producer.
Total EU lemon and grapefruit area planted continues to expand, growing 8%āÆsince 2011.
For 2019-20, as a result of theāÆdeclineāÆin EU citrus production, imports are expected to grow, mainly from Morocco and South Africa.
Meanwhile, U.S. tariffs related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) case against EU aircraft subsidies may impact EU citrus exports, primarily SpanishāÆclementinesāÆand lemons.