Spain expects to harvest 72,000 tonnes of grapefruit, 12% less than last season, when a record production of 81,900 tonnes was achieved, according to data from AILIMPO.
Similarly to other citrus fruits, the decline is due to adverse weather conditions during the flowering and setting stages last spring, which entails fewer fruits per tree and a slight increase in average sizes.
"Last season, all circumstances were ideal to facilitate a maximum yield," said José Antonio García, director of AILIMPO, adding that the acreage devoted to grapefruit production remains generally stable, "although in some areas grapefruit have been replaced by lemons."
The sector expects to export about 60,000 tonnes this season, which is 80% of the harvest. "Spanish grapefruit is gaining market share in Europe, to the detriment of the Turkish production, affected by quality problems and the excessive use of pesticides. Turkey focuses more on markets with aggressive pricing, where quality is not as important," he points out.
| 10/11 | 11/12 | 12/13 | 13/14 | 14/15 | |
| Export. | 50.298 | 45.561 | 51.930 | 47.409 | 61.046 |
| Países Terceros | 2.365 | 1.773 | 1.572 | 1.247 | 2.111 |
| Consumo interior | 6.000 | 6.500 | 7.000 | 7.000 | 7.000 |
| Mermas | 2.933 | 2.692 | 3.025 | 2.783 | 3.508 |
| Industria | 8.504 | 6.391 | 8.949 | 7.341 | 9.065 |
| TOTAL | 70.100 | 62.917 | 72.476 | 65.780 | 82.730 |
Last season, exports totalled 63,156 tonnes, of which 61,000 tonnes were intended for the EU. Significant increases were registered in countries like Germany, France or the United Kingdom, with average growth rates of between 20 and 30%.
A small volume was shipped to third countries (2,100 tonnes), mostly to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, the domestic market absorbed approximately 7,000 tonnes, with a slight growth registered year after year and a greater presence of the fruit on the shelves of supermarkets and greengrocers.
Lastly, 9,000 tonnes, mostly lower quality fruit, went to the processing industry.