Lemon Prices in the United States from 2020 to 2025

Historical Lemon Prices (2020–2023)

• 2020: The retail price of lemons was approximately $1.50 per pound, according to import price trends and production reports. This reflects a slight dip from $1.58 in 2019, influenced by a smaller U.S. crop (884,000 tons) and increased imports (up 22% from the previous season) to offset supply shortages caused by heat damage in Arizona.

• 2021: Retail prices rose to around $2.014 per pound by December, a 6% increase from December 2020, driven by rising logistics and fertilizer costs despite a projected 10% increase in U.S. production to 885,000 tons. Import prices averaged $1,137 per ton ($0.57 per pound), up 4.8% from 2020.

• 2022: Prices were forecast to increase to $2.074 per pound, a 3% rise from 2021, due to continued cost pressures despite a global production increase of 4% to 22 million tons and U.S. output reaching 1.06 million tons in California alone. Wholesale prices averaged 83 cents per pound from August 2022 to June 2023, down slightly from 86 cents the prior year due to higher domestic supply.

• 2023: The retail price stabilized at just above $2.00 per pound, as reported in February 2025 data, reflecting a robust U.S. crop of 1.12 million tons (a 50-year record in California) and imports totaling 363 million pounds. Import prices rose to $1,064 per ton ($0.53 per pound) by August, a 16% increase from July, though local production kept retail prices from spiking further.

Recent Data and Projections (2024–2025)

• 2024: Import prices for lemons and limes averaged $1,064 per ton through August, suggesting retail prices likely hovered around $2.00–$2.10 per pound, assuming stable markups. U.S. production value reached $698.3 million for utilized lemons, indicating a strong supply. However, rising input costs (fertilizer, logistics) and weather impacts in California may have nudged prices upward slightly by year-end, potentially to $2.15 per pound.

• 2025: As of early 2025, no drastic shifts have been reported, but trends suggest a modest increase. Web data from February 2025 indicates retail prices remained just above $2.00 per pound in 2023, and with ongoing inflation and supply chain pressures, a conservative estimate for early 2025 places retail prices at approximately $2.20–$2.25 per pound. This aligns with forecasts of slight price growth due to stable production (projected to change by 8.78% from 2019’s 1.75 million tons) and import reliance.

Factors Influencing Prices

• Production: U.S. lemon output has generally increased (e.g., 5.5% from 2021–2022 to 2022–2023), but weather (e.g., California storms in 2023) and aging groves in Arizona can disrupt supply.

• Imports: Mexico, Argentina, and Chile dominate imports, with prices fluctuating (e.g., $1,149–$847 per ton in 2024). Higher import volumes offset domestic shortfalls but are sensitive to global logistics costs.

• Costs: Fertilizer and transportation expenses have consistently pushed prices up since 2021, counteracting supply gains.

• Demand: Steady consumer demand for fresh lemons has kept retail prices resilient, even with increased availability.