Italy, particularly Sicily, is witnessing a revolution in orange cultivation through the introduction of virus-resistant varieties, advanced irrigation methods, and modern agronomic practices. This innovation has led to a modest recovery in Italy's orange production, reaching 1.6 million tonnes this season, a 20% increase from the previous year, though still below the average of the last three campaigns. Despite a decrease in domestic demand due to late marketing and changes in consumer behavior post-lockdown, exports are flourishing with significant growth in volume and average prices. This development comes amidst a broader European context of declining orange production, primarily due to adverse weather conditions affecting major producers like Spain.
Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.
Original content
Rome, 25 March 2024 - Innovation in the cultivation of oranges in Italy has its roots in the plant renewal process implemented between 2007 and 2010 by Sicily, with the use of new varieties on rootstocks resistant to the "tristeza" virus ", which had spread to the area a few years earlier. Today Sicily (which accounts for 2/3 of the national citrus groves) is leading a restructuring process which in Italy is causing a profound change in the production fabric: marginal citrus groves run by non-professional companies are leaving the scene, while replantings aim at new variety, leveraging innovative irrigation techniques and modern agronomic management. The area cultivated with oranges in Italy - according to the photograph taken by ISMEA's new "Citrus Trends" - amounts to approximately 86 thousand hectares and is slightly recovering both compared to 2022 (+1.1%) and the average figure for the last three years (+1.6%). In Italy, orange production for the current campaign is estimated ...
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