In these first few months of the 2024/25 lemon season, prices have shown a positive trend that has countered the uncertainty that the sector experienced in 2024. According to the official prices shared by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, since the beginning of the year, prices at source have remained below 20 cents per kilo for almost 30 weeks. In early April they dropped as low as 10 cents, so it has been a very difficult season for both producers and marketers.
"Luckily, prices are better than last year, allowing all links in the value chain, from the grower to the consumer, to be in a more favorable position. It is worth noting that good prices guarantee a solid market with a future and a lower risk of crops being abandoned in the short or medium term," says Juan Antonio Martínez, Manager of Toñifruit.
"In this regard, we have seen changes compared to last season. Small growers or speculators who had decided to try lemon growing without being specialists, attracted by the prices of other seasons, have been left behind and in the end, when difficult times come, only professional growers remain."
"But precisely because of this, we need this very important sector in Spain to be able to obtain a fair and decent profitability once again," he says. "Spain is the world's largest exporter of fresh lemons and also the leading exporter of fresh organic lemons. We are leaders in the global market, and we are also working in a sustainable and socially-oriented manner."
"We all know that there are countries that are working very hard to gain ground in the lemon market, such as Turkey, South Africa or Argentina, but those can't compare with our product in terms of social and value chain efficiency. We are constantly showing that the lemon sector in Spain is very strong and that we know how to tackle the winds when they come our way. We are leaders for a reason."
"Forecasts point to a 30% drop in the Verna production"
"Moreover, the prospects for the coming weeks are positive," says Juan Antonio. "We are entering the Christmas period, during which the consumption of many products, including lemons, increases. This should be a guarantee that prices will remain stable and that we can look forward to starting 2025 with stable prices."
"Once this period has passed, it will be harder to predict what will happen, although forecasts point to a 30% drop in the Verna production, so we should even see prices following an upward trend in spring," he says. "This higher price of the Verna would also be beneficial for summer lemons, which have higher costs."
"Spanish growers have listened to consumers, who were demanding healthier products"
It is worth mentioning that lemon has become a staple in the organic products section, achieving very interesting consumption figures among European consumers, and also among Spanish consumers.
"In fact, consumers have learned to identify and look for the properties that organic lemons have, and Spanish growers have listened to consumers, who were demanding healthier products," says Juan Antonio.
"It is worth keeping in mind that lemon is a fruit normally used as a condiment, especially its peel, and in conventional production, all the chemicals used to treat the fruit are a burden for the confectionery or gastronomy sectors. Also, the intense aroma of a natural, organic lemon and the essences released from its peel are highly appreciated," says Juan Antonio Martínez. "In fact, I would argue that now is the time to switch to organic lemon consumption, as consumer prices have been falling in recent years, so a product that can bring so many benefits has become much more accessible."
For more information:
Toñifruit
Parque empresarial Cabecicos Blancos
C/ Molino Grande, buzón 22
30892 Librilla. Murcia. Spain
Tel.: +34 968 071 056
[email protected]
https://tonifruit.com