In marketing year (MY) 2021/22, citrus yields decreased due to frost during the winter in the Valparaíso, Metropolitana, and O’Higgins regions. FAS Santiago estimates lemon production to decrease by 30 percent to 140,000 metric tons (MT) in MY 2021/22 and to bounce back to 200,000 metric tons in MY 2022/23, assuming normal yields. Likewise, in MY 2021/22, orange production will decrease by 18 percent totaling 164,000 metric tons, then increase by 22 percent to 200,000 MT in MY 2022/23 as production recovers.
In MY 2022/23, mandarin production will increase by 39.4 percent and total 237,000 MT following an increase in area planted and assuming normal yields. FAS Santiago estimates that MY 2021/22 mandarin production (includes mandarins, clementines, and tangerines) will total 170,000 MT, a 26.1 percent decrease over MY 2020/21.
Lemon production
The lemon production area is in the northern and central part of the country, from the Coquimbo region to the O’Higgins region. Lemon area planted grew in all of Chile’s producing regions during the past
three marketing years. The Metropolitana region, in the central part of Chile holds 41.1 percent of the lemon area planted, making it the top producing region. Citrus became a viable alternative to other crops such as avocado because of its high price and low water requirement. Chile produces lemons in the summer months between December and March for the domestic market and during the winter months between June and September for the export market.
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Source: apps.fas.usda.gov