South African citrus growers trim 2026 export forecast

The African country exported 203.4 million cartons of citrus in 2025, record shipments which helped bolster South Africa’s position as a top global citrus exporter, along with Spain. The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) now estimates exports will reach 205.3 million cartons in 2026, still a new record but below a previous projection of 209.4 million cartons. “It has been a very challenging season for our growers on a number of fronts.

Floods in the Western and Eastern Cape have impacted the season,” the CGA said in a statement. It added that supplying the Middle East, where about 20% of South African citrus exports go, was challenging due to the ongoing conflict, which is now in its sixth month. Citrus is South Africa’s single largest agricultural export by value, earning the country 44.9 billion rand ($2.74 billion)in 2025.