Italian products are becoming available to wholesale markets so, at the moment, both Italian and Spanish oranges and clementines are available in Bologna.
A wholesaler reports quotations from 70 eurocents to €1.40/kg for clementines from Calabria depending on grade and quality. Another reports 60 eurocents/kg for grade 4, 90 eurocents/kg for grade 3 and €1.20/k for grade 2.
Navel oranges from Calabria sell at €1.20-1.30/kg for big grades (4), then down to the 65 eurocents/kg for grade 9. Prices are lower than last week.
Oranges. (Archive photo)
According to wholesalers, prices are in line with last year. In addition, they agree on the fact that "sales are slow and there is a lot of Spanish produce on the market."
Spanish clementines are sold at 50 eurocents/kg for grade 4, 70 eurocents/kg for grade 3 and even €1/kg for larger grades, though volumes of these are low. Spanish production is in fact abundant, so grades are bound to be smaller.
According to buyers though, there is another element that must be taken into consideration. "The winter campaign has started and consumers look for oranges and clementines that taste good, but they are disappointed as quality is not excellent."