According to Citrus Australia the demand for the country's lemons is growing thanks to the growing number of health-conscious consumers.
Citrus Australia says the growth in international demand has seen Australian lemon sales increase from just under $1 million in 2012 to around $8.5 million last year.
Much of this demand is driven by the Indonesian market, which accounts for just under 70 per cent of total lemon exports. CEO of Citrus Australia Judith Damiani said Australian growers were seeing the benefit as some international producers encountered seasonal hiccups.
"Demand for lemons worldwide has increased," she said. "Supply is a little bit tight so returns have been fairly good over the last couple of years, and this has also instigated some plantings as well across Australia.
The boom in demand for the citrus fruit is seen to be due in part to a greater consumer focus on healthy eating, with more people using lemon to infuse water, tea and other dishes.
source: abc.net.au
