Chinese Lemon Prices Remain High in First Half of 2021

Anyue County in Sichuan province is renowned as the “lemon capital” of China. At present, this county boasts a lemon planted area of around 34,700 hectares and an annual production of approximately 600,000 tons, accounting for over half of both China’s total lemon-growing area and its total lemon crop. Meanwhile, the brand value of Anyue lemons has reportedly exceeded $2.9 billion.

For these reasons, the farm gate wholesale price index for Anyue lemons is of great reference value to lemon traders and is commonly regarded as a barometer for China’s entire lemon industry. This index displayed an upward trend in the first six months of 2021 as a whole, rising from 153.21 points to 187.26 points during this period.

Owing to the impact of several negative climatic factors, including severe frosts, low temperatures and a relatively dry spring, lemon production in China has witnessed a substantial drop this year. This smaller crop, alongside surging consumer demand, has caused lemons to be in short supply in 2021.

According to official statistics, farm gate prices for Anyue lemons during the first half of 2021 were much higher than those for the same period of last year. This phenomenon can be ascribed to two key factors. The first is that the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year brought numerous industries in China almost to a standstill, driving down the prices for many types of fruits because of reduced market demand. The second is that lemons have been growing in popularity as a common ingredient in a variety of tea drinks and alcoholic beverages. This trend greatly promoted lemon consumption and led to higher prices between January and June of this year.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.