China’s orange crop 3% larger in 2017/18

Orange production in China in 2017/18 is expected to be 3% higher than the previous year, totalling 21.2 million tons. The rise is thanks to good weather conditions during the crucial growing periods and the weakening of the impact of Huanglong disease. Also, the expanded production in new orchards in western China has contributed to the output. Despite the increase in domestic production, China’s orange imports are expected to rise, due to the strong demand for high-quality and off-season oranges. All citrus fruit prices have risen due to increased costs and market price acceptance.

In recent years, the centre of China’s orange production area has slowly moved westwards. Jiangxi is the traditional heartland of ​​China’s oranges. However, production there has stagnated in the past five years, while production in Sichuan, Chongqing and Guangxi provinces has grown steadily. In fact, the output of these provinces exceeded that of Jiangxi last year. This is due to an increased planting area, while the major planting areas of the southeast, such as Jiangxi, have been negatively affected by Huanglong disease.