The Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA) says the SA citrus industry is expected to export a total 171.1 million cartons of 15kg citrus this 2025 season, a 3.6% growth from last year's exports. 

The expected total 2025 citrus exports from SA has been calculated after the estimates for late mandarins, which show impressive growth, were finalized. 

For the late mandarin varieties, the organization expects a Leanri output of 2.1 million 15kg cartons, slightly down from 2.2 million cartons in 2024, 2.1 million 15kg cartons of the Orri variety, 25.7 million 15kg cartons of the Nadorcott/Tango, a significant increase from 23.3 million cartons last year, thanks to young trees coming into production, and 3.2 million 15kg cartons of other late mandarins, up from 2024's 2.7 million cartons. 

In March, the organization released their estimated for lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and early mandarins, nearly all showing overall stable growth, except lemons. 

The projection shows a 5% decrease in lemons from 2024, a 5% increase of Navel oranges, a 6% increase of Valencia oranges and grapefruit, a stable Satsuma mandarin production, unchanged from last year, a 2% increase in Nova mandarins, and a whooping 10% clementine increase. 

"We are cautiously optimistic about the season," said the CEO of the Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA), Dr Boitshoko Ntshabele. "The solid growth trajectory the industry has been on, has held, so far. But serious threats remain. A significant one for this season is the tariff turmoil that could disrupt the US market for a portion of our growers."