Argentina harvested a record 3.76 million tons of fresh citrus in 2025, up from 3.45 million tons the year before. Lemons drove the increase, surging 29% to 2.21 million tons and putting Argentina at 22% of the global lemon harvest. Fresh citrus exports rose 18% overall to 321,046 tons, with lemons making up the bulk of those shipments.
The United States was Argentina's second-largest citrus export market and its single largest destination for lemons specifically, receiving 49,242 tons of fresh citrus in 2025 — nearly all of it lemons. California Citrus Mutual has already been meeting with trade representatives in Washington, D.C., about the impact of Argentine lemon imports on California growers and their returns.
With California's lemon acreage already under pressure and growers facing elevated production and freight costs, the continued rise of Argentine supply is a tension worth tracking. Any movement on trade policy or phytosanitary access rules related to Argentine citrus could directly affect California grower returns and U.S. lemon pricing.