Spain's struggle to maintain its leadership in the global citrus market

Published Oct 23, 2024

Tridge summary

Spain is the leading European and sixth worldwide citrus producer, covering 24.1% of the global export market in 2022. Despite a projected 1% decrease in production for the 2024/2025 campaign due to drought and excessive heat, the sector remains significant, generating an average of 3.1 billion euros in exports per campaign. However, the sector faces challenges such as increased production costs, pest issues, and decreased consumption within the country. Additionally, the Valencia Citrus Market has noted slight price increases for later varieties due to reduced supply and concerns about the safety of imports, with calls for cold treatment and stricter EU measures to protect against pests.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Miguel Barcenilla In 2022, Spain covered 24.1% of the world's export of critical citrus, with Europe and North America as the main importers, closely followed by Asia. With a national production of almost 6 million tonnes, the Valencian Community is at the national head with a harvest of almost 3 million, with Andalusia in second place with almost 2 million tonnes. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has estimated a citrus production in Spain of 5.842 million tonnes for the 2024/2025 campaign, which began on September 1. This figure represents a 1% decrease compared to the previous campaign and 8.6% below the average of the last five years, mainly attributed to persistent drought and excessive heat during citrus development. Although it is true that forecasts vary depending on the type of citrus: orange production could increase by 8.8% compared to last season, although it is still below the historical average, while lemon production could decrease by 20.5% after the ...

Source: Campocyl