La UNIÓ de Llauradors (Growers' Association) has reported the balance of the 2014-2015 citrus campaign, which is nearing completion. The results have been negative compared to the previous season, especially for mandarins and oranges in the first part of the campaign. La UNIÓ's study, based on official prices of the Regional Government's Observatory, reveals a loss in the growers' income of about 39 million Euro, after prices were 4% lower on average compared to the previous campaign, which, it is worth noting, was already considered one of the worst in history.
To be precise, the current campaign has generated 735 million Euro in revenue for producers, compared to last year's 773 million. The average price per kilo stood at € 0.273, which is € 0.012/kg below that of the previous season.
The campaign has been a disaster for emblematic varieties such as the Clemenules or Navelina, still in free fall. The second half of the campaign, with better prices for Valencia, Lane Late and other late Navel oranges, compensated somewhat for the disaster of the first half.
The Nadorcott has registered a decline in prices and the profitability of some patented varieties is currently being questioned. This campaign, IVIA varieties such as the Safor and Garbí have suffered skin problems, and this has been exploited by some operators interested in discrediting them against other foreign varieties. La UNIÓ has warned about these practices that discredit really profitable varieties due to clear economic interests from clubs and entities managing varieties that compete in the same periods.
Mandarins
Mandarins register the greatest reduction in revenue, with 58 million Euro, as the average price stood at 0.26 Euro/kilo; 8% lower than in the 2013-2014 campaign. All mandarin growers have obtained lower prices than in 2013-2014, except for those of Clemenrubi (Pri-23) and Oronules.
The varieties with the greater overall drop in income are the Clemenules, Marisol and Satsuma, while the Ortanique and Nadorcott register the worst results in terms of prices per kilo. The decline in production volumes for all Satsuma varieties is not offset with the better price obtained this season.
Oranges
The final result for all orange varieties remains balanced, with a slight increase, of 300,000 Euro, compared to the previous campaign, although this has been mostly due to the better performance of the fruit in the second half of the campaign.
There is great disparity between different varieties. The Navelinas and other Navel varieties, such as the Navelate or the Washington Navel, continue to register declines in both production volumes and economic value, although performance has been better in some of the earliest areas, like La Marina. Another fact worth noting is that the performance of the later Navels, such as the Powell or Barnfield, all patented, has served to compensate for the Navelinas disaster.
Lastly, the Valencia Late and Lane Late, as a result of external factors, such as reduced crop in Andalusia or phytosanitary problems of imports from the Southern Cone, have registered a significant price increase. How prices will behave next season without these conditions is still to be seen.
Lemon and Grapefruit
Both lemons and grapefruit have registered better results than last season, with an increase in revenue of 18 and 2.2 million Euro, respectively. The two predominant lemon varieties in Valencia, the Fino and Verna, have reached higher prices at origin.
Export
The latest export data, corresponding to late February (which means all late varieties have yet to be accounted for), showed a 4% growth compared to the previous season. 93% of Valencian citrus exports go to the EU and it is worth noting that only 1% of all shipments went to Russia in the campaign before the veto, so its impact has been negligible.