Argentina’s lemon exporters are heading to Berlin for this year’s Fruit Logistica trade show fully prepared for the 2019 season; having taken the necessary steps required both to approach the new season in the most professional manner possible, and to ensure their supply matches demand in all global markets.
These efforts have been supported by ACNOA – the Citrus Association of the North West of Argentina that promotes the sustainability of the region’s economic activity and coordinates the careful preparation that is required.
This season, ACNOA will also assume responsibility for promoting ALL LEMON (the quality seal for exported lemons from Argentina) to exporters who have not used the service before, highlighting too the experience gained from Argentina’s much-anticipated return to the lemon market in the USA in 2018, following a 17 year absence.
Volume-wise, it is likely that lemon production in 2019 will remain at similar levels to those recorded in 2018 when Argentina registered an increase in crop volumes against the previous year.
“We shall be more than able to cover the demand for lemons from all of our clients,” notes Martín Carignani, president of ACNOA. “Our main objective is to pay the maximum attention possible to quality in order to meet the diverse requirements of the markets that we supply.”
ALL LEMON – the quality seal that has been in operation since 2010 to audit over 80% of Argentina’s lemon exports – has committed to a high frequency of quality control monitoring in the packhouses covered by the quality seal.
Working in pairs, the inspectors will carry out on-the-spot visits every eight hours throughout the day and also into the night in order to ensure the very best results, and to guarantee a full and comprehensive audit of the boxes destined for export.
“It’s a privilege for the lemon-producing companies to have the support of ACNOA and ALL LEMON, plus it gives us peace of mind,” says Pablo Padilla, director of Padilla Citrus.
Carlos Parravicini, director of ALL LEMON, adds: “When you are operating under pressure, as we all are, the greatest contribution that we can make as food entrepreneurs is to be as competitive as we can when it comes to quality. And our lemons stand out in this respect, even if they do not always have the best cosmetic appearance. Their high juice content and the fact that they have been produced to the most stringent safety standards are indisputable.”
For the second consecutive year, ALL LEMON will be working to the internationally-recognised and audited SGS quality management ISO 9001-2015 standard, which is known for being more demanding than the 2008 version, which the audited exporters had been working to since 2014.
The companies whose quality has been certified by ALL LEMON since its inception are: Argenti Lemon, Biotuc, Cauquén, Cecilia Martínez Zuccardi, Citromax, Citrusvil, Diagonal Citrus, Early Crop, F.G.F. Trapani, Frutucuman, La Moraleja SA, Lapacho Amarillo, La Patria SRL, Latin Lemon, Ledesma, Padilla Citrus and San Miguel.
Market consolidation
Following a 17 year absence, Argentine lemons returned to the US market in 2018 with satisfactory exports taking place throughout the season. Argentina also shipped its first lemons to Japan in 2018.
ALL LEMON audited the quality of the shipped lemons for both markets, including fruit belonging to a number of companies who are not currently associated to the quality seal scheme.
MEET ALL LEMON & ACNOA
ACNOA and ALL LEMON are exhibiting jointly at Fruit Logistica 2019 in Berlin, Germany.
Fruit Logistica Hall 25, Stand A-15D 6-8 February 2019
