A few months into the citrus season in Uruguay, the big consequences on the production of the weather phenomenon El Niño have started becoming noticeable, namely a significant delay in the start of various harvests. "The heavy rains have postponed our citrus harvests by more than two weeks. While the volumes are not being affected, the fruit quality has been reduced, so we face a difficult season," affirms Mónica Coito, of Naranjales Guarino.
Consequently, plenty of fruit which would normally be of export quality for Europe is now out of the market for aesthetic reasons. While most varieties have recorded similar volumes to last year's, the amount of fruit with exportable quality is lower. "Our estimations point to Uruguayan citrus shipments to Europe falling by at least 50%. There is always demand for citrus, so the lower supply at the moment is keeping prices at good levels. Our returns are up by an average of 20%, both in the case of lemons as well as with mandarins and oranges," states the representative.
"Given this situation, we are now facing more direct competition with Peru. They are growing a lot in terms of volume and are gaining market share which was once ours. One of their main advantages is that they have lower production costs, allowing them to get more competitive prices. That puts Uruguay at a disadvantage. The opening and expansion of markets has been the safest option for many producers seeking to place greater volumes in markets such as Russia, Canada and Saudi Arabia," concluded the spokesperson.
For more information:
Mónica Coito
Naranjales Guarino SA
T: +598 24075860
M: +598 91 499721