In 2021 the “orange trade” was worth a total of $5.76 bn. This represented a steady state, because between 2020 and 2021 exports grew by just 0.6%. Oranges account for more than 50% of the global citrus production and both output and consumption of oranges have grown sharply over the past three decades at a compounded rate of 3.5%.
Production and exportation of processed orange products have also increased by 4.4% over the same period, because of the improvement in transportation and the low packaging cost. Of all the oranges produced worldwide, 20% of the total are sold as whole fruit with the remaining 80% used in making extracts and juice.
For years, the US was the leading orange producer, serving a massive home market where OJ was a staple of the breakfast table. However, by the mid-1980s, Brazil permanently overtook the US as top orange producer and the US has continued to slip down the table of producers.
There has been slowing domestic demand for orange juice, as consumer tastes have changed, resulting in US consumption being down more than 50% from its peak a quarter century ago.
Leading producers of oranges 2021-22 (million metric tons)
- Brazil 16.91
- China 7.55
- EU 6.3
- Mexico 4.28
- US 3.46
Brazil’s climate makes the country the leading grower of oranges, producing more than twice the number China does. The US annual orange output in 2021-22 was just one-fifth of Brazil’s.
Within the EU, Spain is the major producer accounting for around half of supply. Most European production (90%) remains within the EU.
Oranges Exports by Country:
- Spain $1.4bn (26.9% of total exported oranges)
- South Africa $808.6m (15.1%)
- Egypt $714.4m (13.3%)
- US $606.1m (11.3%)
- Netherlands $283.7m (5.3%)
Oranges Imports by Country
- Germany $483.4m (8.2% of total imported oranges)
- France $455.4m (7.7%)
- Netherlands $390m (6.6%)
- Russia $313.9m (5.3%)
- China $264.9m (4.5%)
Source: export.org.uk