The Spanish lemon campaign continues with good sales and similar prices to last year's, of between 0.20 and 0.28 Euro per kilo at origin, depending on quality, according to data released by the Council of Agriculture and Water of Murcia.
At present, the variety available is the Primofiori, which will be harvested until early April, when the first Verna lemons will arrive, for which more kilos are expected per tree, although with smaller calibres due to the high summer and autumn temperatures, combined with the lack of rainfall.
According to Francisco Marín Cánovas, director of Frutas Naturales S.A., "because of the smaller calibres, sales volumes will remain similar to last season's."
Frutas Naturales S.A. usually sells over 25,000 tonnes of lemons under the BICI brand, shipping mainly to the EU, with France, Germany, the UK and Spain as its most important markets. In the summer campaign, the company imports Eureka lemons from South Africa and Argentina to complete its shipments.
"There is more uncertainty for this summer's campaign due to the greater production expected in Argentina, where it appears they will have a normal campaign," he says. With regard to the current tension between the South African and Spanish citrus sectors because of the Black Spot interceptions, the African country proposed to cancel shipments to ports in southern Europe, which, according to Francisco, "would increase logistics costs and make the product's import less interesting."
"Overseas lemons compete with Spanish Verna lemons in Europe. More and more customers prefer Verna lemons because of their freshness and reduced post-harvest treatments. The Spanish market prefers the Verna because of its lower price."
Growing consumption of Spanish lemons in the Middle East and Canada
According to Francisco Marín, lemon consumption is currently on the rise, thanks, in part, "to its good publicity regarding health benefits and the opening of new markets where demand for Spanish lemons has soared, especially the Middle East and Canada."
Frutas Naturales S.A. will kick off the summer campaign with a new warehouse equipped with Sunkist technology for defect spotting and electronic sorting.
For more information:
Francisco Marín Cánovas
Frutas Naturales SA
Vereda Rincón Gallego,10
30579 Torreagüera. Murcia, Spain
T: +34 968822911
M: +34 616446044
paco@frutasnaturales.es
www.frutasnaturales.es