Barberina® oranges aim to reach best market prices

Obtained in 1982 in Rafelcofer, Valencia, the Barberina® is one of the later white oranges and is called, according to market estimations, to become one of the most appreciated this campaign and in the future.

Some top Barberina® producers in Valencia and Andalusia are convinced that this variety will exceed 50 cents per kilo. This may bring some joy to the growers, who have seen prices of traditional varieties suffer major declines.

Over the past 30 years, oversupply in the citrus sector has eventually led to a crisis as a result of falling prices. Moreover, high temperatures have caused a reduction in the citrus production in the 2015-2016 campaign. The production is increasingly less profitable for the growers, so the crops are gradually being replaced for more profitable alternatives, such as kakis, or else the fields are simply abandoned.

Given this situation, and the decline in the prices of certain varieties, producers of Valencia and Andalusia have seen opportunities in the marketing of new extra-late varieties, such as the Barberina®, which, according to the Lonja de Valencia, has attracted great interest.

With prices at origin last season of between 4.207 and 3.907 Euro/arroba (14.7 kilos), the Barberina®, which is harvested between March and June, has become one of the most expensive varieties in the orange market, according to the Citrus Prices Board of the Lonja de Valencia. Therefore, growers and traders are showing a growing interest in these protected varieties, as they believe they are the future.

With this orange, companies like Vivercid aim to cover market segments that were so far empty, "supplying a great volume of quality oranges in a non-saturated market," explains Pepe Doménech. "It's a very attractive orange for both producers and consumers."

"Consumers have access to an orange with a very good appearance, no seeds and 60% sweet juice, as opposed to other oranges, which tend to be more acidic. Furthermore, producers have a tree with fruit that grows under the leaves, which protects it against inclement weather."

In the latest campaign, there was a Barberina® production of about 25 million kilos across Spain and, thanks to its qualities, the variety is still far from reaching its full potential. This year, even better prices are expected than those achieved in 2015 and could reach 50 to 60 cents per kilo.