2026 has started with a growing demand that currently exceeds the supply available in the European markets, which are mainly supplied by Spain. The impact of the rains on various clementine varieties has led to an earlier start of the harvest of mandarin varieties from the second half of the season, such as the Nadorcott and Tango.
"January has been a month of high demand for mandarins, as has been the case in recent years. Traditionally, the strongest months for sales are November and December, but cold weather is arriving later and later in Europe, and January has already become an important month," says Jorge García Monfort, Director of Castellon-based company García Ballester.
"Having said this, although demand is similar to that recorded at the same time last year, this year we have an empty mandarin market due to various factors. Firstly, December has been quite rainy, and this has had a significant effect on the quality of the last Clemenules, as well as other varieties, such as the Clemenvilla, Sando, etc. It has rained a lot in all the growing areas, both in the Valencia region and in Andalusia, Murcia, Tarragona...", says Jorge García.
"Consequently, the harvesting of second-season mandarins such as the Nadorcott or Tango has had to start around fifteen days earlier than usual, and, in many cases, it will still be necessary to wait a few days for the fruit to acquire the right color. Therefore, there is tension in the markets, as there are not enough mandarins available to meet the demand; a situation that will continue for at least another 10 days," he says.
As a result, prices at the source have maintained an upward trend. Jorge García says that, despite these factors, the mandarin production in the second part of the season is generally expected to be similar to last year's.
"Since we have started a couple of weeks earlier, the end of the season is also expected to be brought forward. In addition, the fruit's ripening is at a more advanced stage than usual this year. In many cases, the ripening is already at the stage it would normally be in late February because the excess rainfall is reducing acidity levels," says the general manager of García Ballester.
Founded in the municipality of Borriana in 1906, García Ballester is celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2026. "We are the oldest company in the citrus sector that is still in operation today," says Jorge García, who is part of the fourth generation of this company, with a fifth generation already joining the family business. The company sells around 40 million kilos of fruit every year, mainly clementines and mandarins, which it exports mainly to European countries.
For more information:
Jorge García Monfort
Garcia Ballester
C/ Partida Vintems s/n
12530 Burriana, Castellón. Spain
Tel.: +34 964 571 025
[email protected]
www.garciaballester.es
