The General Manager for Productions and Agricultural Markets, Elena Busutil, was in charge of informing about the figures at the sectorial citrus fruit meeting. FEPEX took advantage of this event to pass on their concern about the scarcity of water, about plant protection products and competition from third countries, particularly South Africa and Egypt.
The calculation of the Spanish national capacity is based on data provided by the producing autonomous regions and shows a reduction of 65,000 tonnes, 1% below the provisional figures for the 2023/24 season. They are also 8.6% lower than the average for the past five campaigns.
The effects of the continuing drought, the excessive heat in key periods during the development of the citrus fruit and, in some cases, alternating crops have been decisive factors in the production volume, according to the MAPA.
At the meeting, FEPEX coincided in the fact that water shortage is one of the factors that effects production most and they showed their concern, particularly when looking towards the next season. Javier Esparza, Chairman of Asociafruit, an association integrated into FEPEX and a citrus fruit producer in Andalusia, also emphasised the problems regarding the progressive disappearance of plant protection products that make it difficult to treat the crops correctly and eliminate pests, as well as the growing competition from third countries, such as South Africa and particularly Egypt, where citrus fruit production is spreading in extensive areas of cropland.
Increase of oranges
Regarding the breakdown of the forecasts presented by the MAPA, it was shown that the productive behaviour differs according to the type of citrus fruit. The orange forecasts increased compared to the previous campaign; while on the other hand, there is a particular drop in lemons, and also in small citrus fruit, although the same levels are being maintained for grapefruit.
Specifically, they will produce 2,975 million tonnes, which would make the production 8.8% (242,500 tonnes) higher than in the last campaign, but 8.2% (-266,000) tonnes) below the average. This citrus fruit is the one with the highest production, as it represents 51% of the total volume. 72% of the oranges produced in Spain correspond to varieties from the navel group.
The production of small citrus fruit will rise to 1,831 million tonnes; 3.3 % (62,400 tonnes) lower than the last campaign and 9.6% below the average. This type of citrus fruit makes up 31.3% of the total. Satsumas represent 6.1% of this group; clementines 49.9% and the remaining mandarins and hybrids, 44%.
A drop in lemons
Following last campaign’s record production, lemon production will drop and reach 953,661 tonnes. This amount will mean 20.5% (241,650 tonnes) less than recorded in the last season and 9.9 % below the average. 73.1 % will be lemons of the fino variety, and 26.3% will be of the verna type.
Grapefruit, with a forecast of 86,305 tonnes, will be above figures for the last campaign by 0.6 % (+2.560 tonnes), and it would also be 8.3% above the average, with what is being predicted to be another record campaign.
