The Italian citrus season is about to begin. But what can we expect from the new year and what will the prices be? Gianni Martucci, owner of Martucci, an Apulian company specialized in citrus processing and marketing, provided some answers.
The Lorentina variety, photo taken on 11 October 2021
"These last weeks have been intense and difficult for us. We have been checking the orchards every day to assess the ripeness of the citrus and then signing contracts with the growers. The cultivation of clementines has dropped by 20 to 30% compared to normal years and the coloring has been delayed by 7 to 10 days. The clementines are small to medium-sized."
"Given the small quantities, growers are asking very high prices of €0.80 to €1.00 per kilo, while traders are forced to reduce prices, partly due to what is happening in foreign markets. On the other hand, there are customers, both Italian and European, who want to maintain the same prices as in 2020. This is objectively impossible, not only because of the expected deficit, but also because the increase in raw material prices is weighing heavily on our balance sheet," explained Gianni Martucci.
"An average increase of €0.05 to €0.10 per kilo is expected compared to the same period in 2020. A kilo of clementines should be around €0.20 per kilo, which is higher than last year, due to both lower production and higher raw material costs. The situation is even more complicated for oranges, for which yields are even lower and prices for growers range from €0.40 to €0.50 per kilo."
For more information:
Martucci Srl
Via Chiatona,
74016 Massafra (TA)
+39 338 2620262
martucci.export@tiscali.it
martucci.info/