According to the Interprofessional Association of Lemon and Grapefruit, Ailimpo, Purchasing operations of Spanish lemons at origin have ground almost to a halt, without great prospects for their reactivation.
Meanwhile, however, there's still stability in the fresh lemon export market, with volumes practically identical to those of previous years, according to the organization.
"There has been a plentiful harvest this campaign and, moreover, we have had many months of drought, and the lack of moisture has taken a toll on the Fino lemon," says Francisco V. Gea Belmonte, commercial director of the Murcian company Belsan.
"This season, the larger supply in the European markets from third-party origins such as Turkey and Egypt has also caused prices to be under great pressure. It's something we will need to face more and more in the future if the EU does not impose more barriers, as we cannot compete with the costs of these competing countries and, obviously, many intermediaries and European buyers opt for these origins in order to make a greater profit, without caring as much about other aspects, such as food safety."
In this context, eyes are now turning to the Verna lemon campaign, for which the harvest is expected to start earlier, considering the quality and high discard rate of the Fino lemons. Forecasts point to a long Verna campaign, with limited room for Southern Hemisphere lemons this summer.
"After several years with low harvests, the production of Verna lemons is expected to be about five times larger this year. We've had all the necessary factors for a spectacular fruit setting, so commercial sizes predominate," says Francisco Vicente Gea.
"We don't expect prices to recover with the arrival of the Verna, given the large production, but we do foresee the campaign lasting at least until the end of July. South Africa and Argentina will face significant challenges in supplying lemons to Europe at the beginning of this summer, as there will be enough Spanish lemons, which will also be fresher due to their proximity."
For more information:
Belmonte Sánchez Belsan S.L
Francisco Vicente Gea Belmonte
Vereda Rincón de Gallego, 16
M: +34 630 943670
30579 Torreagüera, Murcia, Spain
francisco@belsansl.com
www.belsansl.com