The demand for lemons is as usual, but the enormous supply is putting pressure on prices in Spain

2023/2024 is not an easy season for the Spanish lemon sector, as prices hardly allow any profit. "This year there are about 35% more lemons available than last season. For such a large harvest, we have to go back at least five years," says Enrique Fuentes, commercial director of Hijos de Alberto del Cerro, a company from Murcia. According to the harvest estimate of Ailimpo, the Spanish trade association for lemons and grapefruit, a yield of 1,365,000 tons is expected in Spain this year. That is even more than the 1,300,000 tons of 2018/2019. "The yield is not only high in Spain, other countries that compete with us, such as Turkey, Italy, Greece and Egypt, also have large volumes available this season. The demand for lemons is as usual, it is the large supply on the market that pushes prices down," says Enrique Fuentes. "But due to the heat since last spring, there are many small sizes and the processing industry does not absorb large quantities and does not offer acceptable ...