Lemons. Photo: Getty images
The Turkish government has announced a temporary suspension of lemon exports from 8 April 2025. The reason for this was adverse weather conditions and the need to supply the domestic market with fruit. “Due to frosts in a number of regions, the need to maintain a balance of supply and demand for agricultural and food products, as well as to stabilise prices in the domestic and international markets, the Ministry of Trade has decided to temporarily ban lemon exports,” the official statement quoted by Daily Sabah reads .
Severe frosts were recorded in the southern provinces of Adana, Mersin and Hatay, the key citrus growing regions in Turkey.
Last year, Turkey exported more than 1.6 million tonnes of citrus fruits worth about $1 billion, of which $357 million came from lemons.
The ban is expected to affect the global citrus market, as well as the supply of lemons to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the CIS.
