Andalusia's 2024/2025 citrus campaign, which already started with the earliest varieties, promises to be better than last year. The harvest is expected to be 20% larger (22% in the case of oranges) because the recent rains have favored the crops, resulting in good sizes.
However, it is not all good news for the sector. The DANA caused considerable damage in citrus-growing areas of Malaga and Almeria. Producers in these regions lost the crops they were about to harvest due to torrential rain and flooding.
The season has just begun and producers in Huelva are already harvesting mandarins and the earliest orange varieties, the Navelinas. Lemon yields are expected to drop by 22% compared to last season's record harvest.
The consequences of DANA are particularly severe in Malaga, an important lemon-growing area. The weather event caused damages ranging from €15,000 to €20,000 in citrus-producing farms of 7-8 hectares. Producers in the area expected a good harvest, but the heavy rainfall has caused a lot of fruit to fall to the ground, significantly reducing yields.