Lemon imports to Poland in 2020 based on GUS data

The volume of lemons imported to Poland (CN category 08055010 - Lemons (Citrus limon, Citrus limonum)), fresh or dried) amounted to 133.6 thousand tonnes in 2020 and its value to PLN 676.8 million. This means that, year-on-year, imports in this category increased both in terms of quantity and value. This increase undoubtedly has a lot to do with the coronavirus pandemic that hit Poland in March 2020.

In 2019, imports in this category amounted to 122.6 thousand tonnes with a value of PLN 508.7 million. This gives an increase in volume terms of 10.9 thousand tonnes, or 8.9 per cent, and in value terms of PLN 152.82 million, or as much as 33.0 per cent. This growth would probably be even higher if it were not for shortages in lemon supply in spring and summer last year.

The average price of lemons imported to Poland (calculated as the quotient of the total value of these imports by their total quantity) was 5.07 PLN/kg in 2020 against the 2019 price of 4.15 PLN/kg. This gives a year-on-year increase in the average price of 22.2 per cent.

In terms of changes in the geographical structure of lemons imported to Poland between 2019 and 2020, these were, in terms of the top five suppliers, mainly quantitative.

Spain strengthened in first place by increasing the volume of deliveries from 64.9 to 66.2 thousand tonnes.

Turkey remained in second place, increasing its deliveries from 16.2 to 20.7 thousand tonnes.

Argentina moved up to third from fourth with an increase from 11.3 to 14.7 thousand tonnes.

It has been replaced by Germany, although here too the volume has increased from 13.3 to 14.2 thousand tonnes.

South Africa remains in fifth place with deliveries increasing from 4.7 to 6.2 thousand tonnes.

Among the five largest suppliers, lemons imported from Germany accounted for the highest average price in 2020 at 7.08 PLN/kg (obviously, this is re-export from third countries). On the other hand, Turkish lemons were the cheapest with an average price of PLN 3.54 per kg. Fruit imported from the biggest supplier - Spain - had an average price of 5.10 PLN/kg.