Lime Growers of Papantla, Veracruz, Will Export to Russia for the First Time; It Will Be 21.4 Tons of the Citrus

ByJared Laureles and Alexia Villaseñor

This article by Jared Laureles and Alexia Villaseñor originally appeared in the July 2, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Growers from Papantla, Veracruz, finalized the first export of 21.4 tons of Persian lime to Russia, after their crops reached the maturity and quality standards required for that market, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader) reported. It noted that the export volume could increase to 257.4 tons during the second half of 2026, which would strengthen the presence of Mexican citrus in the Eurasian market.

Papantla has at least 9,500 producers with the capacity to supply Persian lime. The geography of its territory allows cultivation from sea level up to 1,600 meters of altitude, “which guarantees continuous supply, compensating for climatic difficulties such as droughts,” it elaborated.

The agency highlighted that the Veracruz citrus stood out to international buyers for its long shelf life –indispensable for withstanding the sea journey of more than 30 days–, exceptional physical quality –with an intense green color, a size suited to the European market, and the required peel roughness– and because the crops are between 3 and 5 years old.

“The growers foresee that this first step will open a range of new opportunities for the region, since that figure could rise to 257.4 tons in the next six months,” it said.

Sader attributed the result to the direct-marketing strategy promoted by its head, Columba López, with strategic projects such as lime, vanilla, cacao, coffee, achiote, and orange during her tenure as national coordinator of the Sembrando Vida program.

The tools allowed the farmers to “add value to their harvests and, above all, negotiate directly with foreign businesspeople” during world-class agri-food fairs such as Biofach (Nuremberg) and Fruit Logística (Berlin), both in Germany, where they took part by holding certifications or sustainable agroecological practices, it indicated.