According to media reporting, Argentinian officials recently visited the U.S. to discuss the potential opening of the market to Argentine citrus. According to the article, the conversation was positive for Argentina, although expanded market access for Argentine citrus to the U.S., a longstanding topic of interest, is still subject to completing phytosanitary certifications.
Argentine citrus exports primarily consist of lemons, with approximately 74,500 tons shipped to the U.S. in 2023. However, Argentine officials believe there is potential for other sweet citrus exports, such as oranges, in international markets like the U.S. In 2023, Argentina exported 35,213 tons of oranges to the world.
Argentine lemon exports to the U.S. were reinstated in 2017 after a hiatus of 17 years, and U.S. officials reportedly visited citrus production regions of Argentina in 2019 to further inspect growing conditions.
The U.S. is one of the world’s largest importers of sweet citrus. While Argentina is one of the largest Southern Hemisphere producers of citrus, its exports are much lower compared to regional producers such as Chile and Peru.
CCM staff will continue to monitor the situation and keep the membership apprised of any developments.
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