South Africa keeps 2026 lemon export forecast at 49.4 million cartons

The Citrus Growers Association of South Africa (CGA) has confirmed that its 2026 lemon export forecast remains unchanged at 49.4 million 15‑kg cartons. A wetter season boosted fruit size and yields, allowing the Sundays River Valley in the Eastern Cape to complete about 80 % of its harvest by the end of June – an unusually early and large‑scale packing pattern. Larger fruit is being sent to three local juice plants while smaller lemons continue to be exported.

Export logistics are being strained by the ongoing Middle‑East conflict, which has raised transshipment costs through Turkey and limited shipments of grade‑3 fruit to Iraq. As a result, a greater share of the crop is being redirected to domestic processing, though the overall marketing window for South African lemons remains favourable.

The CGA emphasises that growers are resilient but that geopolitical instability is felt across orchards, and it is monitoring market dynamics as the Northern Hemisphere season approaches.