Argentina's delay causes further boost of lemon prices in Spain

According to the price list for week 20 (from 16 to 22 May 2016) supplied by the Council of Murcia and published by Ailimpo, Verna lemon prices have gone up another 10 cents compared to the previous week and stand between 1.20 and and 1.30 Euro per kilo at origin, with an average value of 1.25 Euro per kilo.

According to Ailimpo, the Verna campaign is almost complete, as this year's harvest has already been sold out and is mostly finished. The end of the season is about thirty days ahead of schedule; therefore, any operations left are extraordinary, and at extraordinary prices.

The first lemons from Argentina are reaching the northern EU this week, while the shipments to southern ports of the EU, including Cartagena, will be delayed a few weeks because of problems caused by rains in Tucuman. In any case, some 3,000 tonnes of Argentinian lemons are already at sea, bound to Cartagena, so the switch to the southern hemisphere production should take place in mid-June.

The sector currently has its eye on the arrival of the first shipments from the southern hemisphere to the European Union, although Ailimpo expects a transition without major difficulties.