http://www.fruitnet.com/content.aspx?cid=4024

Cold front freezes Argentinean lemons
Gill McShane | 27 July 2009

The arrival of cold winter weather has cast a shadow over the remainder of the South American country’s citrus deal

The Argentinean lemon export season may end sooner than expected, according to local industry sources, due to the onslaught of a polar weather front which has covered most of the country in snow and frost.

Temperatures have reportedly dipped below zero degrees Celsius in some areas of Argentina, including Tucumán – the country’s main lemon-growing zone – where last Friday the region recorded its coldest day in 10 years.

“We had a terrible frost last Friday in Tucumán, with heavy damages in the remaining lemon orchards, so we might end the export season sooner than expected,” one major Argentinean lemon exporter told Fruitnet.com.

Speaking at the end of last week, another Fruitnet.com source said the weather was “very cold” in Argentina with frosts forecast in all citrus production zones, which would undoubtedly affect the country’s citrus harvest.

The polar weather is expected to continue for the fourth day in a row. Today may be registered as the coldest day of the year in Argentina, according to the National Meteorology Service.