This season, Andalusia's orange production volume will go back to normal and be again in line with the average of the previous 10 seasons, after a 22.4% recovery compared to the 2023/24 season. "This is the best news we could have, especially after two years in which the weather has caused very significant drops in the production," says Antonio Carmona, manager of Sunarán and president of Palmanaranja.
"This return to normal volumes, as well as the situation of the global markets and the trends we are seeing in the production of other international growers, leads us to believe that at least the first part of the season will be balanced in terms of supply and demand. We think that this year's volumes of fairly good quality fruit should suffice to supply the markets and get acceptable prices, without causing any kind of collapse."
"What's still highly uncertain for the sector is what will happen in the second part of the season, in late January/early February, when our supply will overlap with that from other origins, mainly Egypt. That's just what happened last year, when the oversupply of oranges caused a total collapse in the markets. We have to remember that this is not profitable either for us or for the Egyptians."
"We have to find a way to coexist in the markets, both the Spanish and other orange supplying origins, because it is in nobody's interest for there to be an excess supply which, in the end, would make the marketing unprofitable for anyone. In fact, some Egyptian operators acknowledged that last season was not profitable for them either because of the prices in the orange export market."
"At this point, we must all bear in mind that all the links in the chain depend on the first, which in my opinion, is also the most important: the producer. In fact, without the producers, the chain would not even exist, so all the links that make it up must not only be aware, but also responsible in their decisions, so that those who produce the raw material can make enough of a profit to continue with our activity so that the market can continue to function."
"We are all aware of the situation in the orange juice market, and we hope that the industry will manage to ensure a fair profitability for the producers"
"I think it's also necessary to bear in mind what the situation is in the global orange juice market. We are all aware of the current situation of the world's orange juice production and the significant decline that has occurred, as well as the record highs that the price of juice is reaching on the futures markets. In fact, because of these prices, South Africa is delivering less fruit than expected to the fresh export markets because more of its production is going to the juice industry."
"We understand that, in this context, the processing industry will be an interesting option this season, and that they will be responsible and manage to ensure a fair profitability for the producers, which is what we expect."
In just a couple of weeks, the orange harvest will start in the Guadalquivir Valley and although it is not easy to dispel the shadow of uncertainty, Palmanaranja and the quality brand Naranjas del Valle del Guadalquivir feel confident ahead of this new season. "We expect the first part of the season to go well and we remain hopeful that this trend will continue in the second part and that this year, in which we are luckily going back to normal production levels, Spain will once again have the prominence it has always had in the European market with its oranges."
For more information:
Antonio Carmona
Palmanaranja
https://valledelguadalquivir2020.es