Overview

• Official data show January–August citrus exports topping US$408 million and 366,000 tonnes, up 27% in value and 21% in volume year over year.
• Fresh lemon shipments reached US$140 million with a 43% annual increase, while Argentina remains the top exporter of lemon juice and essential oil and the fifth-largest producer of fresh lemons.
• Industry sources report concentrated lemon juice prices up about 80% and lemon essential oil up roughly 50% in 2025 after a 2024 frost in Turkey and lower output in Spain tightened supply.
• Recent reforms removed harvest authorization permits, relaxed packaging rules, cut import tariffs on key inputs, and introduced a one-time digital registration for packing and processing facilities.
• Europe led buying, followed by the United States and Russia, with exporters citing stronger prices and a firmer euro, yet many standalone growers still lack processing access or contracts.