A report from ProColombia shows significant growth in Tahiti lemon exports to the United States with a growth of 170% given the good quality of the fruit grown in several regions of the country in which Quindío is the protagonist.
According to figures from the entity, between January and November 2022, Tahiti lemon export sales grew 65.9% compared to the same period in 2021; of sales for USD$46.1 million to USD$76.6 million, while in tons, 36,670 were exported in 2021 and the previous year the figure was 48,272.
“The Colombian export-type lemon is of the Tahiti acid lime variety. After bananas and avocados, this lemon is the third most exported fruit in Colombia, with 86 exporting companies from 17 departments, which reached 23 countries,” information from ProColombia.
Fernando Montoya Palomino, coordinator of the Horticultural Association, Asohofrucol in Quindío, said that there is indeed significant growth in the Tahiti lemon industry, or acid lime, as it is also known in the department.
“The majority of the Tahiti lemon that is planted in Quindío is not for national consumption because they pay for the fruit in the market at low prices compared to what they pay the producer internationally. In addition, the person who is planting must be certified by the Agricultural Institute, ICA, and have the support of an export seal,” explained Montoya Palomino.
Thus things and due to the protocols and growth requirements when exporting the fruit translate into higher prices per ton exported, which in the long run causes phenomena such as the areas of lemon planted in the department in sectors such as Calarcá. , in the town of Barcelona and in La Tebaida, Montenegro, Quimbaya, always looking for places that do not have high relative humidity so that the fruit forms in good conditions.
The coordinator of Asohofrucol in the department said that Tahitian lemon exports are mostly going to the European community because it requires fewer protocols for its export than the United States.
Juan Carlos Celis, commercial manager of Celifrut, a packing and exporting company of this fruit in the city of Armenia, stated that there are many demands from his clients when buying Tahiti Lemon, among which are the high quality, green color of the fruit with low percentage of shade, Global GAP and SMETA certifications.
Lemon destinations
According to ProColombia, there are 23 consolidated international markets that bought Limón Tahití from Colombia, but 13 are the most relevant. The main buyer is the United States, where sales to that country increased by 170% compared to 2021 with a total of US$43.3 million in sales.
Along with the United States, the countries that buy the most acid lime are Holland, Germany, Puerto Rico, Spain, France, Martinique, Curacao, Canada, Turkey and Italy. After the admissibility of this fruit in the United Kingdom and the Dominican Republic, it is expected that exports will continue to increase for the first half of this year.
Taken: Nueva Crónica Quindío