Citrus production in the Mediterranean Basin countries is forecast to fall 10.5 per cent on last season, to 17.8 million tonnes.
The figures were released at the recent Mediterranean Citrus Liaison Committee (CLAM) meeting by Tal Amit, general manager of the citrus sector at Israel’s Plant Production & Marketing Board.
The decline in exports is not forecast to be as great - CLAM indicated a likely 8.5 per cent fall, year on year. According to the committee’s figures, shortfalls are likely in oranges, easy peelers and lemons, to the tune of about 700,000t each in production terms. Grapefruit yields are expected to rise by 10.5 per cent on last year.
In Spain, lemon exports will be roughly in line with last year at some 450,000t, and easy-peeler sendings are likely to see a 17 per cent decline against last year.
Egypt is forecasting an eight per cent drop in orange exports, to 700,000t, against 765,000t last year.
Citrus production in Morocco is also forecast to fall overall, with easy-peel exports likely to be down by 21 per cent, at 260,000t (316,000t last year), and orange sendings down by 4.5 per cent, to 253,000t this year.
Turkey is forecasting a record grapefruit crop of 245,000t, up from 175,000t last year, and exports are likely to surge to 185,000t up from 34,000t. But trade sources told freshinfo these estimates are exaggerated and, with fruit on the small side and a relatively late start to the export season, 150,000t “is a more realistic figure”.
Amit delivered Israel’s figures, explaining Shamouti output this year will be down. “It will be compensated by a rise in yield of easy peelers, especially Or,” he said. Total citrus volumes are expected to fall 20,000t on last year, to 617,000t. Easy-peel exports are forecast to reach 50,000t, oranges 30,000t, and grapefruit 80,000t.
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