California Citrus Mutual is formally asking the U.S. Trade Representative to impose a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) on Argentine lemon imports. The request comes because Argentina shipped roughly 94,000 metric tons of lemons into the U.S. in 2024, overlapping with the domestic California harvest window — a timing problem that has particularly squeezed growers in Ventura County.
Under the proposed TRQ, a set volume of Argentine lemons would enter at the standard tariff rate, with anything above that threshold subject to a higher duty. The group's director of governmental affairs framed it as a basic fairness issue: domestic and imported supply are competing head-to-head during the same marketing window, and growers say the current setup isn't working. The California citrus sector is also watching the state's governor's race closely, with the next administration expected to appoint key agriculture and water officials.
Watch for how USTR responds and whether this request gains traction alongside the broader tariff policy conversations already reshaping produce trade flows. For buyers and category managers sourcing lemons, any shift in TRQ policy could affect landed cost and seasonal availability calculations in the months ahead.