After a couple of seasons of decline in Israeli citrus production, there is a potential rebound in grapefruit cultivation this year, says Betsalel Ohana, export manager of Planet Israel Farms: "As Israel's citrus industry prepares for the 2025/2026 marketing year, the grapefruit sector is navigating a complex landscape, marked by a rebound in overall production, but persistent challenges in a global market. Grapefruit, historically a pillar of the famous Jaffa brand, continues to be a key export, with Sunrise Red, or Star Ruby, leading the charge, supported by the niche markets for Sweetie Green and the traditional White Marsh varieties."
© Planet IsraelSunrise
"Following a challenging 2023/2024 season, heavily impacted by regional conflict and labor shortages, the general outlook for total Israeli grapefruit production is one of recovery. While official forecasts for the fresh export volume in 2025/2026 are still developing, extrapolating from recent trends suggests a potential stabilization or slight increase in export volumes following the forecast rebound in the 2024/2025 season. For context, total grapefruit production in the 2023/2024 season was reported at approximately 144,000 metric tons, with exports around 33,000 MT."
Looking at the red grapefruit varieties, Ohana emphasizes that these historically constitute the majority of fresh grapefruit exports: "In the past, pink and red grapefruit alone accounted for about 40,000 MT of total citrus exports. For 2025/2026, assuming stable or improved logistics and continued strong demand in key European markets, red grapefruit is expected to remain the top export earner, likely maintaining or slightly exceeding its prior share of total fresh grapefruit shipments."
© Planet IsraelSweetie
A smaller portion of grapefruit exports can be attributed to Sweetie, Ohana states. "The Sweetie, an Israeli-bred cross between a pomelo and white grapefruit, is an early-season, lower-acid variety. It maintains a dedicated niche market, particularly in East Asia. The Sweetie variety commands smaller but significant export volumes. While not the market leader, its unique taste gives it stability. Historically, Sweetie production has comprised a fraction of the total grapefruit crop, with a part of the crop marketed green in Asian countries."
The traditional White Marsh grapefruit has seen its cultivation area dramatically decline over the past few decades, Ohana explains. "The decline of White Marsh has happened primarily due to shifting consumer preferences, favoring red varieties and their high use in the domestic processing industry. Exports of White Marsh are minimal compared to the red variety. The majority of White Marsh production is channeled to the juice processing industry. Any fresh exports are typically for very specific, traditional markets."
© Planet Israel
"So overall, the 2025/2026 grapefruit export season is expected to be dominated by the Sunrise Red (Star Ruby) variety, capitalizing on a general recovery in citrus production. However, broader challenges like water management, labor availability, and high freight costs, especially to Asian destinations, will continue to influence final export performance. The health of the citrus industry remains heavily dependent on the successful export of high-value varieties like the Jaffa-branded red grapefruit," Ohana concludes.
For more information:
Betsalel Ohana
Planet Israel Farms
Tel: +972.54.738.3436
[email protected]
