Spain: The increased demand for citrus fruits due to the covid raises prices in the EU by 19%

The citrus sector in Spain, the world's leading exporter, has experienced a boost in income during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 19% increase in prices in 2020 compared to the average of the previous five seasons. This trend was observed in other EU producing countries as well. However, the sector faces challenges such as competition from imports, especially from countries in the southern hemisphere, and barriers in importing to the United States due to tariffs. The European Commission's Price Observatory aims to provide transparency and analysis to the fruit and vegetable market, representing about 24% of the value of agricultural production in Europe. The observatory also highlights the stagnation or decline in the area dedicated to orange and mandarin crops in the EU, while the area for lemons has seen growth due to higher profitability. The article also points out issues with breaches of contract conditions for the sale of citrus fruits by commercial operators during the 2020/2021 season.