U.S. citrus imports surge over past 20 years

U.S. imports of citrus have doubled in value over the past seven years.

chilean citrus combo WEB.png
chilean citrus combo WEB.png
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U.S. imports of citrus have doubled in value over the past seven years.

Total U.S. imports of citrus were $1.36 billion in 2020, up 11% from 2019 and up 59% from 2015.

Mexico is the top supplier of citrus to the U.S., according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics. U.S. imports of Mexican citrus totaled $519 million in 2020, down 4.5% from 2019 but up 51% from 2015.

U.S. imports of Chilean citrus totaled $408 million in 2020, up 16% from 2019 and up 100% from 2015.
Here are other top suppliers of citrus to U.S. markets in 2020, compared with 2019 and 2015:

  • Imports of Peruvian citrus totaled $148 million in 2020, up 59% from 2019 and up 214% from 2015;
  • Imports of South African citrus totaled $94.9 million in 2020, up 72% from 2019 and up 58% from 2015;
  • Imports of Moroccan citrus totaled $65.1 million in 2020, down 7% from 2019 and down 40% from 2015; and
  • Imports of Argentina citrus totaled $40.9 million in 2020, up 48% from 2019 and nearly four times more than 2018. No imports were recorded from Argentina from 2011-17.
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