EU citrus imports reach record 1.57 million tonnes as South Africa and Egypt expand supply

Import volume and value set new records

The European Union imported a record 1,572,564 tonnes of oranges, lemons, mandarins, clementines and other citrus fruit between September 2025 and May 2026. The total was around 15% higher than in the previous marketing year and exceeded the earlier record set in 2022-2023, according to in.gr, citing a report from Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The imported fruit was valued at €1.564 billion, an increase of 16.4% from the corresponding September-May period a year earlier and 30.8% above the average of the previous five seasons. Because value grew slightly faster than volume, the figures indicate that the average price of imported citrus also increased.

Small citrus drives the increase

Growth differed sharply by category. Imports of small citrus fruit, including mandarins and clementines, climbed 55.4% by volume and reached a new record. Orange imports increased by 8.6%. These gains expanded the availability of citrus in the EU but also increased competition in product categories supplied by Mediterranean growers.

South Africa was the EU’s largest citrus supplier over the full September-May marketing period, accounting for 31.4% of imports. Its shipments were 27.8% above the five-year average for the same months. Its Southern Hemisphere production calendar allows it to serve Europe when output from Mediterranean countries is limited or has yet to peak.

Egypt ranked second, with shipments 31% above the five-year average. Growth in both oranges and small citrus raised its EU market share by 3.3 percentage points. Turkey fell to third place: its total shipments were 0.9% below the five-year average because lower lemon volumes offset growth in mandarins and other small citrus. Morocco ranked fourth after increasing shipments by 7.3%.

Egypt leads during the 2026 calendar period

The supplier ranking changes when the data are limited to the months from the beginning of 2026 through May. During that period, the EU imported 841,256 tonnes of citrus from non-EU countries, 23.4% more than in the corresponding period of 2025 and 22.9% above the 2021-2025 average.

Egypt supplied 50.5% of these imports after raising shipment volume by 30.4%. A strong increase in orange exports during the final three months of the period was decisive. Turkey followed with an 18.8% share and 22.7% shipment growth, supported mainly by demand for small citrus.

Morocco’s shipments rose by 14.7%, although its market share declined by 0.8 percentage points because Egypt and Turkey expanded faster. South Africa ranked fourth in this shorter period because its export season was only beginning, but its volumes were already 59.8% above the five-year average.

Supply gains intensify pressure on EU growers

Higher imports improve year-round availability for European buyers, retailers and consumers. They also increase competitive pressure on growers in Spain, Italy, Greece and other Mediterranean producing countries at a time when production costs and the effects of climate change are already testing the sector.

European farm organisations regularly argue that EU producers face stricter environmental, labour and phytosanitary requirements than suppliers in some third countries. Larger import flows therefore sharpen the debate over production costs and comparable standards. They also require stronger controls against pests and diseases that could cause lasting damage to European orchards. For traders and importers, the record confirms the growing importance of South African seasonality and Egypt’s rapidly expanding role during the first months of the calendar year.