Spanish clementine exports to Russia have increased by 200 per cent during the 2010/11 campaign, while sales to the US and the Middle East have also risen substantially during what looks to be have been a highly successful season for Spain’s citrus sector.
For the campaign to date, citrus exports from Spain to markets outside the EU have shown a strong improvement compared with the previous season, rising by 27 per cent year-on-year to 162,518 tonnes.
However, the most notable development has been the major increase in sales to Russia, a market where Spanish exporters struggled in previous years to gain a foothold, due to the country’s demanding phytosanitary standards.
According to figures published by Spanish regional daily Levante, clementine exports, largely from Valencia region, to Russia have soared by 200 per cent this season, reaching 33,134 tonnes – a record achievement for the sector.
Although at a lower level, citrus sales to the US – primarily clementines and limes – have also hit 61,247 in the campaign to date, a 26 per cent rise compared with the same period of the 2009/10 season.
Exports to the United Arab Emirates during the season have also increased threefold from the previous campaign to 3,042 tonnes, the newspaper reported.
