Global orange juice prices hit record high after poor harvests

GLOBAL – Orange juice has become one of the latest victims of global food inflation, with prices more than doubling in the UK over the past five years.

Data shows the average price has jumped from £0.76 (US$0.93) per litre in 2020 to £1.79 (US$2.18) in 2025, marking a 134% increase. In the last year alone, prices rose by 29%, a trend now being felt across restaurants and cafes.

At Gerald McDonald and Co in Basildon, frozen orange concentrate from Brazil arrives in large steel drums for blending and packaging. Managing director Maxim McDonald said global prices have climbed sharply over the past decade.

“Around September of last year, the price shot up to crazy levels. At the worst time, I was being offered US$7 a kilo. For such a major commodity to go from $2 to $7 is insane,” he said.

Brazil, which produces most of the world’s orange concentrate, recorded its smallest harvest since 1988.

The combination of prolonged drought and the fast spread of citrus greening disease devastated trees, with some areas losing up to two-thirds of their crop. Other producers such as Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa have tried to fill the gap, but their output remains small.

Spain’s orange exports focus mainly on fresh fruit, and recent floods in Valencia have further reduced volumes.

Florida’s struggle and industry response

In the U.S., Florida’s orange industry continues to face steep decline due to hurricanes and citrus greening. “Not many are buying Florida oranges anymore unless it is a requirement to label the juice ‘Florida Orange’. It’s very difficult to get oranges out of Florida, and it’s too expensive,” McDonald explained.

Citrus greening also affects the sugar level in the fruit, leading to less sweet juice. Manufacturers are now blending orange juice with other fruits such as apple, pear, mango, or clementine to keep costs manageable and maintain flavour.

Tropicana, one of the largest juice brands, recently introduced cheaper blended options in the U.S., a move that mirrors the approach seen in UK supermarkets.

Trade policies have added more pressure to the market. A 10% tariff on Brazilian orange juice entering the U.S. and counter-tariffs with Canada have restricted trade flows. Although the UK adjusted its tariffs in 2024, the effect was minimal because global concentrate prices kept rising. Meanwhile, new packaging rules under Extended Producer Responsibility have raised production costs for juice makers.

Over the past two decades, global orange juice consumption has dropped by about 30%, mostly in Western countries. However, demand is growing steadily in China, South Africa, and India. Experts believe Brazil’s recent harvest recovery could help stabilise prices, but many remain cautious.

They warn that heavy dependence on a few large producers and ongoing crop disease risks will keep markets unstable for some time.

“The industry has gone through five years of poor crops, and even if recovery begins now, prices will not fall overnight,” McDonald added.

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