On August 8, the first shipment of Argentine lemons arrived in Guangzhou since the opening of the People's Republic of China market for our product in December 2019.
Is 48 tons of fresh lemons exported by the companies Citromax and San Miguel from their farms in the province of Tucumán. In addition to these two companies, Argenti Lemon and Diego Zamora e Hijo will participate in this first export campaign to China, totalling 436 tons together.
«We are very pleased with this achievement. China was a pending issue for the sector to consolidate our expansion in Asia. For us, this market is of great strategic importance due to its size and potential. We aspire to position ourselves as suppliers from the Southern hemisphere and in counter-season of a high quality product in societies that are beginning to know the virtues of the yellow lemon and gradually incorporate it into their diet,» he commented. Pablo Padilla, president of ACNOA (Citrus Association of Northwestern Argentina).
"This was possible thanks to the technical work carried out by SENASA, in conjunction with the Obispo Colombres Agroindustrial Experimental Station, in the different stages of negotiation, as well as the political impetus given by successive authorities of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Nation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Province of Tucumán, throughout these 20 years," added Padilla.
The first shipment arrived in Hong Kong on August 7 and was transported to the Guangzhou wholesale market., after 40 days of travel since departure from Buenos Aires, complying with the requirements of the Phytosanitary Protocol signed in December 2019.
Two containers are expected to arrive in mid-late August. The remaining containers will be delivered on separate dates, with almost all of them arriving at the port of Hong Kong.
The lemons will be sold at the Guangzhou Fruit Wholesale Market in Guangdong Province and distributed through traditional retail channels (hypermarkets, supermarkets and street stalls) and electronic platforms.
Citrus imports from China are growing, especially from countries that are out of season or from countries that are producing premium quality fruit, which is in demand by middle-class consumers with greater purchasing power.
Chronology
En December 2019 The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Luis Basterra, signed with the Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs (GACC) of the People's Republic of China, LI Guo, the Phytosanitary Protocol for the export of lemons from Argentina to China.
Then in June of 2020, the GACC published the lists of productive units and packaging of Argentine citrus fruit for export in the 2020 campaign, thus making the new protocol operational.
Lemon production in the NOA
In the northwest of Argentina, between 300 and 600 meters above sea level, the best lemons of the Eureka variety are grown (yellow lemon) of the world.
Production thrives in unique agro-ecological conditions, typical of the foothills of the province of Tucumán and other localities in Catamarca, Salta and Jujuy, characterized by fertile soils and a subtropical climate, with rainfall levels exceeding 1.000 millimeters per year. These particular advantages promote optimal fruit production and a greater quantity of juice.
The export lemon is harvested between the months of February and September, period in which it is marketed in the most competitive markets in the world, such as: the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Ukraine, among other markets.
In 2019, Argentina produced 1,72 million tons of lemons, more than 95% in the NOA region (Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán). Tucumán alone represents 88% of the total national production. 57.500 hectares are cultivated in the NOA provinces.
In 2019, 224.990 tons of fresh lemons were exported (241.967 tons per year on average between 2015 and 2019). In addition, 1,5 million tons were destined for industrial processing.
About the Chinese market
The People's Republic of China has a population of over 1.440 billion people. According to USDA data, China is the world's leading producer of citrus, with total production estimated at 2018 million tons in 2019-34,1, which will exceed 2019 million tons in 2020/35. For the first time, total citrus production will exceed that of apples.
For the 2019-2020 campaign, the same source estimated a production of 23 million tons of mandarins, 7,3 million tons of oranges and 4,93 million tons of grapefruit. There is little information on lemon production, but it is estimated to be close to 1 million tons.
According to China Customs, China directly imported 2019 tons of fresh lemons in 10.038; its main suppliers being Egypt, New Zealand, the United States, Australia, South Africa, among others.
Source: ACNOA
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