The lemon harvest in Tucumán, Argentina, has returned to normal following a strike by workers towards the end of last week, which led to road closures on all major highways in the country’s largest lemon-growing region.
According to a report by local newspaper La Gaceta, workers together with the Argentinean Union Rural and Dock Workers (Uatre) and the Tucumán Citrus Association (ATC) have agreed to a 30 per cent salary increase.
Under the deal, the daily wage will increase to 106.70 Argentinean pesos (US$26.33), and includes a non-remunerable lump sum of 195 Argentine pesos (US$48.13), which will be handed out in July, La Gaceta said.
During the stand-off, five major highways (routes 38, 304, 302, 303 and 157) were reportedly made impassable as workers established picket lines.
The sector was originally calling for a tripling in salaries from 82 pesos to 120 pesos, the report said.
Argentina is anticipating a recovery in lemon production this year, with volume expected to rise by 33.3 per cent to 1.2m tonnes, according to estimates from Shaffe-Freshfel.
The crop rebound should translate into 260,000 tonnes for export, up from 203,033 tonnes last year.
