Spanish lemon crop returns to normal

After a record 2018/19 lemon harvest, Spain is set for more normal volumes this season. According to Ailimpo, the 2019/20 Spanish lemon crop is estimated to reach 1,110,000 tons, down 15% from last year. The picture is different depending on the varieties, with Fino dropping 11% in volume and Verna down 24%. The good news is that the crops appear to have emerged relatively unscathed from the mid-September storms.

The main markets remain Europe, North America and the Middle East. Between 20 and 25% of production will be for processing, with Spain the world’s second-largest supplier of processed lemons.