The drought is causing the Primofiori lemon harvest to develop more slowly than usual in the regions of Murcia and Alicante, Spain's most important producing areas of this citrus fruit. The severe drought this year has taken a toll on the calibre of citrus in most of the east coast, although in the case of Murcia, it is more severe, as reported by the producers.
"Although the quality and quantity of juice in the lemons is ideal right now, we are harvesting the fruit very slowly because it hasn't reached the necessary calibre. Although some rainfall has been recorded in recent weeks, there has not been enough yet," explains a Murcian producer.
Prices are currently on a downward trend in the European market. According to Ailimpo, there is strong pressure from Argentina and Chile's stocks, which at this point are still in liquidation due to the delay of their harvests, and there are also aggressive offers from Turkey. Meanwhile, Italy is expected to hit the market this year with a 25% greater production.
According to the interprofessional association, small calibre fruit is mostly suitable for Eastern Europe, where it faces strong competition from Turkey.
The Spanish lemon sector has lamented how Spanish distribution chains are putting pressure on prices for fresh lemons of Spanish origin, given the current poor quality of lemons from the southern hemisphere.