The Sicilian orange season is over, although there are still considerable batches of late blond varieties that will finish within the next month. The production is however staggered in the various areas of the island. The citrus fruit campaign must be considered as having two phases, i.e. that of pigmented fruits and that of blond oranges. The blood orange campaign has not been at all satisfactory this year, as harvesting was delayed by over a month due to the lack of chill hours.
The end of the season was even worse, as it ended early due to the bad weather in early February. Those groves that were not entirely destroyed by the hurricane that hit on February 8th and 9th experienced severe droppings. Production, which was already low and with small grades due to the excessive heat in the summer and fall months, experienced a final blow.
Ismea prices
Production prices were high, so much so that some foreign buyers opted not to purchase the produce. In addition to the lack of produce, the higher production costs also contributed to the higher prices. Even though the situation is better now, it has been a problem for producers from all over Sicily, who have had to resort to emergency irrigation during the summer (i.e. using energy) to avoid further damage to the groves.
The blond orange trend was more balanced throughout the season, however many considered the prices at the start of the season to be exaggerated. The situation was mitigated by the foreign competition from Spain, Greece, Egypt and Morocco, which reminded Sicilian producers that they are not the only ones that produce oranges.
The Ribera orange campaign has also officially ended.