Spanish citrus interprofessional body Intercitrus is reportedly facing an uncertain future after producer members refused to approve a new budget and demanded an overhaul of the association.
The conflict arose at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting on 16 July when members unanimously blocked the approval of budgets for the 2008/09 season, according to Spanish news reports.
Newly-elected chairman Antonio Muñoz has warned that if a solution can not be reached quickly then he will propose the closure of Intercitrus since without the approval of budgets the body would lose its public subsidies and “cannot function”.
While Mr Muñoz recognises that Spanish citrus growers are under increasing pressure, he said citrus cooperatives and traders cannot pay more to growers when “there are businesses which are closing every day”.
The growth in production and cheap labour enjoyed by competing countries including Egypt and Turkey, as well as market saturation are factors currently hurting the Spanish citrus sector.
However, Mr Muñoz has said the closure of Intercitrus would be a “mistake” and if the body disappears then it would have to be “reinvented”.
