Southern Africa’s citrus growers have closed the 2025 lemon season on a strong note, packing a final 41.5 million cartons (15kg equivalent)—well above the initial forecast and a clear sign of the sector’s resilience and growth trajectory.

Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) CEO Boitshoko Ntshabele described the season as “a good one,” noting that exporters are already anticipating an even stronger crop in 2026.

From Frost Concerns to Surging Volumes

Early in the year, frost and hail damage prompted a conservative March estimate of just 32.9 million cartons. However, improved fruit size throughout the season steadily lifted projections, ultimately surpassing expectations.

All major growing regions outperformed forecasts:

• Sundays River Valley: 17.1m cartons (+30%)
• Senwes: 6.2m cartons (+44%)
• Boland: 3.7m cartons (+27%)
• Patensie: 3.5m cartons (+26%)
• Hoedspruit: 2.8m cartons (+8%)

Export Markets Absorb the Surge

Global demand remained robust, comfortably absorbing the bumper crop:

• Europe: 16.4m cartons (top destination)
• Middle East: 12.8m cartons, up from 11m in 2024
• Southeast Asia: nearly doubled to 2.4m cartons
• Russia: edged higher to 2.9m cartons
A 12% increase in processing-grade fruit also helped balance supply, ensuring that the expanded volumes were cleared efficiently.

Structural Growth Driven by Young Orchards

The sector’s expansion is underpinned by younger orchards:

• 31% of lemon hectares are now aged six to ten years
• 15% are between one and five years old

This orchard profile signals sustained growth potential, with rising yields expected in the coming years.

Record Citrus Exports and Logistics Pressure

The bumper lemon crop pushed total southern African citrus exports to 203.7m cartons in 2025, a 23% increase from 164.6m in 2024—the highest on record.

For the reefer shipping and port logistics sector, the oversized volumes translated into extended vessel working hours and stretched cold-store capacity. Yet, the season reinforced southern Africa’s position as the leading counter-seasonal citrus supplier in the southern hemisphere.