The second part of the Fino lemon campaign in Spain has officially started and, according to the Interprofessional Association of Lemon and Grapefruit (Ailimpo), producers are under pressure by the supply at origin and their main objective now is to manage making a profit.
"It should be noted that we are in a typical January situation, coming out of the 'Christmas hangover' and facing a quiet scenario, at least in the first weeks of January," they say.
The quality of each batch determines the sales options and the price, according to Ailimpo, "since the discards due to pests, wind and hail penalize the value of the commercial fruit, with the market for second classes being certainly limited."
"The processing industry is working at a good pace, at the limit of its theoretical capacity, but the global market is affected by a weak demand for juice and oil and an overwhelming supply from Argentina," they say.
"It is possibly a good time to reflect on the impact of new plantations, with 7 million lemon trees planted in the last 8 years, as well as the varietal map, with a predominance of early patterns that lead to oversupply within a few weeks," says Ailimpo.
For more information:
AILIMPO
www.ailimpo.com