Post forecasts Israel’s MY (October-September) 2013/2014 citrus production at about 551 thousand metric tons. The 7 percent increase compared to the previous MY is mainly attributable to an increase in orange production, the result of favorable weather conditions thus far in MY 2013/14 compared to the previous MY. Post expects an increase of 5 percent in citrus exports in MY 2013/2014. Deliveries to processing plants are expected to increase by 14 percent compared to the previous year. Due to sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) challenges which led to a ban on Israeli citrus exports to China and a new South Korean tariff on sweetie, exports to these two countries are trending downwards. Tangerines/mandarins (47 percent) and grapefruit (47 percent) in MY 2012/2013 make up the bulk of Israel’s citrus exports, while oranges represent just under 5 percent of Israeli citrus exports. The Star Ruby (red grapefruit) and “Or/Orri” mandarin varieties accounts for 36 and 29 percent of total citrus exports, respectively.
