Europe Lime Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Europe Lime Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The European lime market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period.

• In recent years, European lime market growth has been more noticeable due to increased prices and crop reduction in the major producing countries. European Union has set maximum residue levels for pesticides and other contaminants on food products, decreasing imports and encouraging domestic production of lime in the region.
• European Union lime production is mainly concentrated in the Mediterranean region. Spain and Italy represent 80% of the overall production of lime in the European Union. The remaining 20% is distributed among the other Member States, such as Greece and Portugal. Italy is the second-largest European lime producer after Spain. Sicily in Italy is the main lime-producing area, accounting for 88% of Italy's production.
• Over the years, lime has become an important part of many culinary dishes and for the decoration of dishes also. The production of exotic limes, such as finger limes, has shown an uplift in recent years because the exotic limes are premium priced and demanded too. The domestic consumption of lime in the European Union is increasing every year with a positive trend, which makes the country produce more to cater to the domestic demand.

• The European Union’s lime production in 2021 decreased by almost 4.4% compared to 2020, reaching a 1.62 million metric tons volume. Unfavorable weather conditions that affected flowering and fruit sets in some production areas of Spain and Italy, combined with hailstorms, reduced the region's lime production, even though the planted area continued trending upward in 2021 to 82,320 hectares.
• The United Kingdom is one of Europe’s largest consumer markets for lemons. The United Kingdom imported a total lemon volume of 146.8 thousand metric tons in 2021. Domestic demand for limes and lemons is ever-increasing in the region.
• Lemons and limes are grown primarily for the fresh market, with the juice from lemons and limes used mostly as a flavoring in beverages. The most widely produced lime variety for fresh consumption is the Persian Lime. Its popularity is due to its seedless nature. The study says that as economies start to westernize, more hotels are built, which means more limes are used in water and cocktails.
• Europe leads fresh domestic consumption of limes and lemons with 490.1 thousand metric ton consumption in 2021, which increased by 30.1% compared to 2019. This rising local demand is likely to drive the market during the forecast period.

Spain is by far the most dominant supplier of lime in Europe. The strong demand from consumers for Spanish lime is accelerating the production of these limes in the European market, which is not only encouraging Spain but also the neighboring countries to cater to the Spanish market. Lemon consumption is rising in the region, and regular supply constraints in Spain will increase demand for non-European lemons.

According to FAO, Spain produced 1.01 million metric ton of lemon in 2021. The area harvested under limes and lemons in Spain increased from 46,010 hectares in 2018 to 50,810 hectares in 2021. Spain is also the leading exporter of citrus lime in the world. The country exported 734.2 thousand metric ton of lime and lemons across the world in 2021 (ITC Trade Map). Spain usually exports lime to other European countries, such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Italy. Major non-European importers of Spanish lime are Canada and the United States. The production trend in the country is likely to grow steadily during the forecast period, given high local and export demands in the European Union region.

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