LA UNIÓ de Llauradors has already asked the Guardia Civil (through the Government Delegation in the Region of Valencia) to investigate the possible existence of ghost companies, devoted to the purchase of citrus for the processing industry, to find out whether they are breaking the law.
According to LA UNIÓ, several citrus growers have complained that one of these companies does not even ask the producers for the DATA document that guarantees the legal origin of the fruit, which could mean that they don't care "where it comes from and how it got there."
LA UNIÓ has reported all the facts to the Guardia Civil, urging for the proceedings of all these companies to be investigated in order to find out whether they are trading with allegedly stolen citrus fruits.
In some ads at on-line sale websites, some are willing to pay a ridiculous 0.09 Euro per kilo for Navelinas, supposedly intended for the processing industry, which is not right for this stage of the campaign. Many growers are however in favour of selling so that the fruit doesn't fall to the ground or remains unharvested.
The lack of fresh sales at origin, precisely at the most important time of the year, is an unmistakable symptom that the campaign is not going through the appropriate and desirable channels. The increase in the number of offers to buy citrus fruits by peeling companies only confirms this negative trend, and in this context, LA UNIÓ wants to ensure that all laws and regulations are adhered to.
For more information:
LA UNIÓ
Carles Peris, head of citrus sector
TEl.: +34 658 92 89 23