"The summer campaign has been a difficult one for lemons - the weather and temperature changes did not help production. In addition, the excessive quantities from all over the world and an ensuing drop in prices have further compromised the season," explains Ferdinando Vinaccia, director of La Costiera.
"The incessant and abundant presence of Spanish lemons on the market at low prices led to serious difficulties for national and overseas products. Prices have dropped by as much as 60% compared to 2018 and 2017."
"Prices were very high in the past few years, so much so that lemons cost more than double what they do now. The lively sales in mid August, pushed by an increase in demand, did not help lift prices. Producers are therefore not satisfied with their profits and are paying the price of high management costs and small fragmented plots."
"We are currently working with PGI lemons from Sorrento, which have been affected by the rain in May, in stark contrast with the summer heat. Nonetheless, quantities available on the market are good. Verdello are not doing so great - quotations are indeed interesting, but there is little produce available."
"We should be working with Verdello and Sorrento until late September, then it will be the turn of Primofiore from Sicily in early October."
"When it comes to diseases, new outbreaks of mal secco are always being reported and cryptogam is spreading, especially due to the humid weather this year. We are hoping for new production strategies and technologies to contain it."
"As for the future, we are hoping for the market trend to improve and for the fall campaign to be better than the summer one."
La Costiera
Via Pantanello, II tr. dx - Zona Industriale
04022 Fondi (LT) - Italy
Tel: (+39) 0771 531807
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.la-costiera.com
