Italy: Bad campaign for Common Clementines

"The summer drought has affected volumes, so much so that we are expecting between 30 and 50% fewer clementines. In addition, orange grades are smaller. Over the past week, we have been rationing common clementines to make them last until Christmas. We sell to retailers, while the smaller fruit is shipped to foreign destinations, which increasingly often require prices we cannot sell at," explains Giuseppe Barletta, sales director for Good Frutta.

"Despite the fact that clementines are lacking, sales are slow due to the higher prices. Italian general markets were completely empty on 6th December."

Due to the sudden temperature changes in Spain, and in the Valencia area in particular, citrus fruit production is 10-15 days late and volumes have dropped between 25 and 30%. According to Barletta, this shouldn't affect commercialisation.

"In Calabria, we are now in the situation we should be in on 7th January, meaning the campaign is ending early. This of course is causing quite a few problems: we had to ration the produce for many clients and new potential buyers are not even being considered."

At least quality is good. "The contradiction actually regards sales: despite the lower volumes, quotations are not increasing. At the moment, people are trying to get hold of the late productions such as Hernandinas, which should be harvested right before Christmas instead of the usual January."

The orange campaign just hasn't started as it should have yet.