US: Different lemon growing areas complement each other

“North American lemon supplies are coming out of California this time of the year”, says John Carter with Limoneira. “Some California growing regions offer year-round supply, but the peak is really from October through June.” Limoneira also grows lemons in Arizona and recently expanded into Chile. Additionally, the company has partnerships in Argentina. With opposite seasons, South America lemon production peaks between April and August/September. “The different growing areas complement each other and enable us to offer lemons year-round and in the size the consumer asks for”, said Carter. “Mother Nature can significantly impact the fruit size, but the size of our footprint allows us to match demand.”

On an annual basis, Limoneira exports 35 percent of its lemons. The Pacific Rim countries are an important destination, but exports to South America have taken off as well. Exports are driven by increased global demand, which Carter estimates to be about eight to ten percent on an annual basis. Developing economies are the biggest drivers of demand as both the food service and hospitality industries in these economies are growing. Increased availability also results in people (re-)discovering the lemon and its versatility: many recipes include lemons, health benefits have become well-known and lemons are used as a green cleaning product.

Popular varieties
Meyer lemons, a cross between a lemon and a mandarin, have become increasingly popular. Not only is demand going up, but so is supply. “Increased production numbers allow this variety to more and more become a point of mind for the consumer”, Carter said. Another new variety is the Variegated Pink lemon. It has a striped or blushed exterior and the taste is slightly different from the traditional lemon. “The Variegated Pink lemon is more of a seasonal item right now, but supplies will increase as the trees mature”, commented Carter.

One of the biggest challenges for the lemon industry is labor. The cost of labor has gone up, partly due to the healthcare legislation. Additionally, it is challenging to find the quantities of workers as demand for labor is high and the labor pool competitive.

For more information:
John Carter
Limoneira
jcarter@limoneira.com
www.limoneira.com