November came to a close with the price of Spanish oranges again at the highest level of the last ten seasons, both at origin and in storage.
In fact, a new increase of 3.6% of the price at origin of the Navel in week 47 of 2023 brought its price 68.2% above the average for that week. After handling, and following the rebound of the previous week, it recorded a 3.7% drop, placing the price 50.7% above the average, according to the weekly price bulletin of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
As for small citrus fruits, prices at origin are no longer reported for Satsumas, and those after handling have remained stable at a level 31.9% above the average; the highest in the last nine seasons.
Clementines recorded a 5.7% drop at origin, although their price remains 51% above average for that week. After handling, the price has recorded a slight 0.3% increase, following the declines of recent weeks, and it exceeds the average by almost 40%. In both cases, the weekly prices are the highest in the last ten seasons.
Mandarin prices at origin recorded a significant 9.4% increase, as higher value varieties are entering the market, bringing the week's price 20.4% above average. After handling, the price has rebounded by a significant 13.5% and exceeds the weekly average by 65.3%. It is also the highest price in the last ten years.
Although still with a small number of transactions, Tango mandarins are marketed for an average of 0.80 Euro / kilo, according to the Mesa de Precios de Cítricos of the Lonja de Valencia.
Meanwhile, Fino lemon prices at origin have dropped by 9% and their price stands 8.2% below the average. Prices after handling have also dropped, although more moderately (-0.3%), standing 9.1% below the weekly average.
In Andalusia, "the fruit has an optimal sugar content / Brix degrees, but in some production areas, it has a low juice content and lacks color due to poor thermal contrast," said the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Government of Andalusia in its latest campaign report.
"However, despite this delay, commercial operations have started earlier, compared to other years, to ensure the supply to regular customers, given the lower volume of citrus available on the market for the time of the campaign we are in."
In general, citrus marketing in the European market has been carried out at a quiet pace, compared to previous years. "The causes for this include some unusually warm temperatures in the month of November, low fruit sizes as a result of hot and dry weather and higher prices. This low demand has been particularly noticeable in the case of lemons, whose prices have continued to fall in recent days," says the report.
"However, citrus demand is expected to increase in the coming days, given the lower temperatures. In the specific case of lemons, with the Christmas season around the corner, consumption is expected to increase, as it did in previous years. During this period, there is usually an increase in the consumption of lemons packed in nets; a format that is more suitable for the marketing of smaller-sized fruit."