Lemons continue to gain in per capita consumption, with imports now playing a bigger role

Fresh lemon per capita consumption has increased substantially in the past decade, USDA statistics reveal.

According to the agency, retail per capita availability of lemons jumped from 3.3 pounds in 2011 to 4.7 pounds in 2020, a gain of 42% during that time. Over the past 20 years, per capita retail availability of lemons has doubled, rising from 2.3 pounds in 2000 to 4.7 pounds in 2020.

The importance of imports has grown in the lemon category. The USDA reported that imports accounted for about 3% of the total lemon supply in 2000. By 2010, imports accounted for 9% of the total supply. By 2020, imports accounted for 16% of the total U.S. lemon supply, according to the USDA.

Imports

2022 was a down year for U.S. imports of lemons, according to USDA trade numbers.

Total U.S. imports of lemons tallied $121.2 million in 2022, down 33% from $180.5 million in 2021.

At about 40% of the total import lemon value, Argentina is the top supplier of lemons to the U.S. market. However, the value of its shipments declined sharply in 2022. U.S. imports of Argentina lemons were valued at $47.3 million in 2022, down 33% from $70.1 million in 2021.

U.S. imports of lemons from Argentina have been climbing fast, growing fivefold from $9.7 million in 2018 to $47.3 million in 2022.

Chile and Mexico are the second- and third-ranked suppliers of lemons to the U.S.

Like Argentina, Chile’s 2022 lemon shipments to the U.S. were way down compared with 2021. U.S. imports of Chilean lemons were valued at $33.8 million in 2022, down 53% from $71.1 million in 2021.

Mexico’s lemon exports to the U.S. in 2022 were down slightly compared with 2021, USDA numbers show. At $29.4 million, U.S. imports of Mexican lemons were 11% lower than 2021’s total of $32.9 million.