Murcia-based interprofessional body Ailimpo has released its Spanish grapefruit production estimate for the 2018/19 season, predicting a crop of 76,000 tonnes for the campaign, similar to the 76,104 tonnes harvested in 2017/18.
The figure is still above the ten-year average for 2007-2016, Ailimpo noted, which stood at 68,539 tonnes.
With the Spanish grapefruit season kicking off in October, Ailimpo said the industry should be optimistic given the high quality on offer and the fact that the country has become an essential source of the fruit in the EU during the November-April period.
'It is expected that Spain's commercial position will continue to strengthen in the EU, where it has already surpassed Florida and Israel in market share,' the organisation stated.
The season should start with larger-graded fruit to satisfy early demand, Ailimpo noted, while the country waits for the end of stocks of smaller grades from South Africa, as well as the end of the Mexican campaign.
2017/18
Looking back at the prior campaign, the organisation noted that 52,434 tonnes went to the export market, with Germany and France taking in 30,000 tonnes of that total, or 57 per cent.
Exports to overseas markets climbed 19 per cent to 3,016 tonnes, while Ailimpo highlighted the 'outstanding effort' that had been made to open and strengthen markets such as Switzerland, Canada and South Africa.
Some 10,000 tonnes went to domestic consumption, the group added.
