Amid Tariffs, Brazilian Orange Juice Exports to the U.S. Rise 38% from July to Septembe

Brazilian orange juice exports to the United States grew 38% in the first quarter of the 2025/26 harvest season (July to September). During this period, the U.S. imported 92.7 thousand tonnes of FCOJ (Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice), generating US$310 million in revenue — a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2024/25. CitrusBR released the data on Friday, October 10.

Unlike beef and coffee, orange juice was exempt from the additional 50% tariff imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The U.S. accounted for 49% of Brazil’s orange juice exports, consolidating its position as the leading destination for shipments in the first quarter of the new season, according to CitrusBR.

Conversely, exports to Europe fell 23% from July to September, totaling 89 thousand tonnes, due to weak demand, said Ibiapaba Netto, CitrusBR’s executive director.

“The general sentiment is that the high prices from the previous crop, combined with quality issues caused by weather conditions, influenced consumer choices, leading them to switch to other products,” he said in a statement.

Despite the drop, Europe remains the second-largest market, with a 47.8% share. In terms of revenue, the decline reached 31%, totaling US$363.4 million.

Exports to China fell 44%, totaling 3.4 thousand tonnes, while revenue dropped 34% to US$18.9 million, with the Asian country accounting for 2% of Brazilian shipments.

Japan recorded the sharpest drop in purchases of Brazilian orange juice — 69% in volume (1.6 thousand tonnes) and 62% in revenue (US$25.1 million).

Orange Juice Sector Overview

In the first quarter, Brazil shipped 189 thousand tonnes of orange juice, a 4.4% decrease compared to the same period of the previous season. In terms of revenue, exports totaled US$713.6 million, down 17.6%, reflecting a larger fruit supply.

According to Ibiapaba Netto, the start of the 2025/26 season has been unusual. By mid-August, only 25% of the crop had been harvested — significantly slower than the same time last season, when around 50% had already been collected.

Cooler weather compared to previous years delayed fruit ripening and slowed the start of the harvest.

“In addition, the market is more demanding in terms of quality, requiring properly matured fruit — and this affects the pace of harvesting and processing,” said Netto. He added that this scenario directly impacts juice production and, consequently, early-season exports.

In the 2024/25 season, Brazilian orange juice exports reached a record revenue of US$3.31 billion, a 31.4% increase over the previous cycle.

However, the exported volume was the lowest since records began in 1997, totaling 745,593 tonnes, a 21.7% decrease.

As reported by Exame, the orange juice sector faces a complex situation. Commodity prices rose in 2023/24 due to lower orange supply in Brazil. Although higher prices benefit producers, buyer demand has weakened.

This creates an unusual scenario: on the one hand, lower fruit supply pushes prices up, allowing producers to sell at record levels; on the other hand, buyers seek ways to mitigate costs.

As a result, orange juice prices continue to rise in consumer markets, and brands are turning to new blends such as nectar, which contains more water and less fruit.

Source: Exame

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