Orange is the most popular and most consumed fruit in Argentina. It usually is the cheapest fruit and consumers can always find it at the greengrocers. It is also the most cultivated citrus. How many oranges do the Argentinians consume a year? 15 kilograms per capita.
Currently, Argentina produces about 900,000 tons of oranges, half of which are consumed as fresh fruit in the domestic market. More than half of the remaining 50% is industrialized (between 25 and 30% of the total production). Argentina has trouble competing against Brazil In the orange juice industry because of the immense size of Brazil's installed capacity. However, the juice industry became an attractive alternative again because of the production and health problems in the two main producing regions of the world (Brazil and Florida).
The remaining production is exported as fresh fruit. In recent years, Argentina has exported between 140,000 to 190,000 tons of oranges. The main markets are the European Union, Russia, and other Latin American countries. The volumes sent to other regions, such as the United States, Asia, or Africa, are insignificant. Argentina faces strong competition from South Africa, the major exporter of oranges from the southern hemisphere, to Europe and Russia. The destination markets show great interest for Argentinian oranges in the years that South Africa's production decreases.
There are two citrus regions in the country. In the Northwest, the oranges ripen earlier because of the warm climate. The first fruits of the season (Hamlin, Pineapple, Robertson Navel) are produced there. The oranges for dessert (Navel) are grown in the coastal area. In recent years there has been an increase of varieties, such as the Salustianas and the improved Valencias (Midnight, Delta Seedless).
