Orange production in Cordoba is projected to reach 347,058 tonnes for the current season, marking a substantial increase from the 187,704 tonnes recorded last year. This growth is attributed to improved climatic conditions, including increased rainfall and enhanced irrigation techniques, which have positively impacted the vegetative state of the plantations. The Secretary General of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, Manuel Gomez, highlighted these developments during a citrus production forum, emphasizing the anticipated resumption of harvests.
Overall, the Andalusian region is expected to produce over 2.26 million tonnes of citrus, accounting for 38.8 percent of Spain's total citrus production, estimated at 5.84 million tons. The distribution of production across different provinces includes Almeria with 225,258 tons, Cadiz with 53,164 tons, Granada with 4,664 tons, Huelva with 570,149 tons, Malaga with 94,118 tonnes, and Seville with 969,930 tonnes.
The citrus production forecast also details the area under cultivation, totaling approximately 90,180 hectares. This area is segmented into sweet orange trees (61,088 hectares), tangerines (20,461 hectares), lemons (7,044 hectares), and other citrus fruits (1,587 hectares, including grapefruit).
Among the citrus varieties, sweet oranges are expected to dominate production, representing 69.4 percent of the total with an estimated 1,570,467 tons. Tangerines are forecasted to account for 25 percent of production, totaling 564,985 tons. However, lemon production is expected to decrease by 22.8 percent, amounting to 88,022 tons. The forecast also includes grapefruit and other minority citrus fruits, totaling 29,713 tonnes and 4,663 tonnes, respectively.
According to provisional data from the Andalusian Government, the region's orange production will represent 52.8 percent of the national total, with mandarins and lemons constituting 30.9 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively.
Source: Top Buzz Times