The citrus campaign is already underway in Valencia with the first mandarins and early clementines. Production volumes are significantly lower than last year and prices, although higher, are already starting to feel the pressure exerted by large distributors.
“We are finishing with the early Iwasaki mandarins, while the harvest of the Okitsu, both with leaf and leafless, is in full swing. There is a great demand for the latter from countries such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Baltic countries. There is a lot less fruit than last year, but also larger calibers,” says exporter José Manuel Pardo. “We have also started marketing the first Marisol early clementines, from which we expect 50% lower volumes than last year. We don't know the actual extent to which the volume of Clemenules will fall, but apparently it will also be a considerable percentage,” he says.
Based in the Valencian municipality of Xeresa, the company is specialized in the marketing of mandarins and clementines with leaf. "Although we also sell them in a conventional way, we like working with fruit with leaf, because it is a symbol of freshness; a sign that the fruit has not been excessively handled and has not undergone greening treatments," says José Manuel Pardo.
At this time, Okatsu Satsumas are sold for between 0.18 and 0.20 Euro per kilo at origin, while the Marisol costs between 0.25 and 0.26 Euro per kilo, and Clemenules sales are being closed for an average of 0.30 Euro per kilo. According to the exporter, for now these are acceptable prices for the producers.
“The fruit's prices have been good so far, but we are already starting to feel the pressure from the large distributors, even though we all know that there is less fruit available this year. This usually happens when all trading companies start supplying their productions. Now everyone working with the Okitsu has fruit, but in about two weeks, we will have considerably less than last year.
The same will happen with the other varieties. I do not believe that the competition from foreign fruit is to blame for this pressure on prices. It just doesn't seem fair to have producers suffering for just a few cents. Large distributors will hardly notice the difference, since the consumers will still buy the same fruit, but for the producers it can mean bankruptcy. The big cooperatives offering cheap prices are highly responsible for this. Where is the dignity? I think that if we respected each other more, all links in the chain would do better.”
For more information:
José Manuel Pardo
T: +34 962 895 307
M: +34 609612084
josemanuelpardo@yahoo.es