The 2023/2024 citrus campaign is making serious progress in Spain, especially in the Community and Castellón weather conditions (wind and hail storms late last summer and this fall) significantly lower harvest As this newspaper reported yesterday, compared to previous seasons, this already means preventing the resumption of citrus exports to the United States. However, there is an increase in prices almost 50 percent above the average of the previous five campaigns, which is not bad news.
This is also confirmed by the citation observatory published by the European Commission’s Department for Agriculture and Rural Development (EC) last October. The value of citrus fruits coming out of warehouses (cooperatives and private enterprises) at 90 euros per 100 kilograms or equally at 0.9 euros per kilogram.
These economic amounts paid for growing citrus fruits after the margins applied by distribution companies for sales to the public, they are shooting compared to the last five years “as a result of inflation, which increases the operating costs of the entire agri-food chain, but above all because production is historically low compared to previous years.” Some market operators explain this pull this way orange prices and Tangerines when evaluating this first phase of the 2023/24 orange campaign, in which citrus fruits are exported to the European Union, the main target for foreign sales.
The European Commission’s balance on citrus fruits also emphasizes the following: Increase in prices of Spanish production Although this rate is at similar levels to Italy (+48%), it is below Greece (+73%). However, it should be noted that Spain’s production volume is twice that of the trans-Alpine country and six times that of the Hellenes.
Compared to origin prices, i.e. paying farmersPrices for Navelina oranges are expected to be higher than last year. First quality oranges are priced between 0.38 and 0.42 euros per kilo, and industrial oranges are priced between 0.30 and 0.32 euros per kilo. to the decline in production.
The EU’s foreign trade dependence on citrus fruits is very high. And this Half of Spanish exports It goes to the two largest countries in terms of population in Europe: Germany and France. Moreover, the entire European Union plus the United Kingdom combined accounts for 91% to 93% of Spanish orange and tangerine exports; addiction to orange business of the old continent.
Capacity planned by Spain
Forecasts of Spanish operators on the development of citrus prices in the European Union indicate that, among other factors, prices may continue to rise in this first phase of the campaign in which the main tangerine varieties are marketed. clementines Moreover, according to the capacity provided by the Spanish producer autonomous communities, the 2023/24 campaign’s citrus harvest of 5.754 million tonnes, almost 2.8 of which comes from Valencia. slightly above the last onebut it is 14.4% below the average of the last five.
However, according to the ministry, there was a significant decrease in orange and small citrus fruits, Increases lemon and grapefruit production. Excluding the 2022/23 season, the current season will be the shortest in the last 11 years. Globally, just over 24,000 tonnes will be produced compared to last year, but almost a million less than the average campaign, 86% of which are oranges.
Source: Informacion
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