Surge in demand for Spanish citrus in second half of campaign
This is due to a better balance between supply, which has been lower than expected due to adverse weather conditions, and demand, which is up due to the cold in Europe and the fruit’s immunological benefits.
AVA-ASAJA added that the interest is mainly focused on the subgroup of late Navels, Navel Powell, Barnfield and Chislett oranges (with prices at origin that tend to be within the €0.353-0.447/kg range) and, to a lesser extent, Navel Lane Late (€0.282-0.376/kg). There is also strong demand for the hybrid subgroup of mandarins, Tango, Nadorcott (€0.611-0.851/kg) and Orri (€1-1.3/kg).
For many varieties, these prices represent an approximate year-on-year increase of 10%. The president of AVA-ASAJA, Cristóbal Aguado, said:
« The campaign has taken a new turn and has left behind the serious marketing problems that some of the most widespread varieties such as the Navelina orange or the mandarin. Now commercial operators are once again expressing their keen interest in sourcing enough citrus fruits to be able to supply the markets in the coming months. »
The prospects are good for the remainder of the campaign.