A study of the current state of the Spanish region of Valencia’s citrus sector has revealed that producers are likely to have suffered losses totalling €15.6m during the first three months of the present campaign.
The report, which was prepared by regional association AVA-Asaja, also found that three of the region’s most important clementine varieties – clemenules, navelinas and clemenvillas – had all suffered price falls of 35 per cent, 30 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, compared with the season before.
In a statement, AVA-Asaja said its calculations had been based on a comparison of costs of production with prices currently being paid for the fruit, which it claimed “perfectly illustrated the disasterous form” that the present campaign had taken.
For the association’s president, Cristóbal Aguado, the blame for the current unfavourable situation lies squarely in the hands of the “harmful sales practices” of certain commercial operators and grocery retailers.
He accused the unnamed companies of flooding the market with “extra-early” clementine varieties, which did not have the “essential maturity” for sale.
“The relationship between price and quality was not right and consumers paid for quality they did not receive,” claimed Mr Aguado.
The result of this, he argued, was that prices collapsed, leaving the market in chaos, as consumers decided against buying products where their expectations had not been met.
