Brazilian orange juice exports to the United States grew 38% in the first quarter of the 2025/26 harvest season (July to September). During this period, the U.S. imported 92,700 tons of frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ), generating US$310 million in revenue, up 17% compared with the same period in 2024/25, according to CitrusBR.
Unlike other commodities such as beef and coffee, orange juice was exempt from the additional 50% tariff imposed by the U.S. administration. The United States accounted for 49% of Brazil's total orange juice exports in the quarter, remaining the leading destination for shipments.
In contrast, exports to Europe declined 23% between July and September, reaching 89,000 tons. CitrusBR executive director Ibiapaba Netto said the decline was linked to weaker demand. "The general sentiment is that the high prices from the previous crop, combined with quality issues caused by weather conditions, influenced consumer choices, leading them to switch to other products," he said.
Europe remained the second-largest destination with a 47.8% share, but export revenue fell 31% to US$363.4 million. Exports to China dropped 44% in volume to 3,400 tons and 34% in revenue to US$18.9 million, representing about 2% of total shipments. Japan saw the largest decline, with imports down 69% in volume to 1,600 tons and 62% in revenue to US$25.1 million.
Overall, Brazil exported 189,000 tons of orange juice in the first quarter, down 4.4% from the same period last year. Export revenue reached US$713.6 million, a 17.6% decrease, reflecting a larger fruit supply and slower harvest pace.
According to Netto, only 25% of the 2025/26 crop had been harvested by mid-August, compared with about 50% at the same time last year. Cooler weather delayed fruit ripening and slowed the start of harvesting. "In addition, the market is more demanding in terms of quality, requiring properly matured fruit, and this affects the pace of harvesting and processing," he said.
In the previous 2024/25 season, Brazil recorded orange juice export revenue of US$3.31 billion, up 31.4% from the prior year, but exported volume dropped to 745,593 tons, the lowest since 1997. Lower fruit supply pushed prices up, but consumer demand weakened, with juice brands turning to new blends containing more water and less fruit to offset higher costs.
Source: Datamar News
