Israel's citrus yield for the forthcoming season is expected to top last year’s total at 600,000-630,000 tonnes, according to Tal Amit, general manager of the citrus sector at the Plants Production and Marketing Board.
Amit said Israeli citrus growers are expecting a profitable season for the fourth consecutive year.
The currency exchange rates this year “are better for us than a year earlier,” he said, adding that the first shipments of Israeli citrus to Europe will be well-received since suppliers from the southern hemisphere - South Africa, Argentina and Chile - have finished their shipments earlier than expected.
Israeli exporters are also set to profit from shipping large quantities of the Satzuma brand a month before Spain comes on board with its crop of the variety.
Amit said Israel’s competitors had reported average yields for 2006-07.
And Turkey’s grapefruit crop is expected to be lower than last year’s, which will allow Israeli exporters to increase their shipments of grapefruits, especially the Chandler variety, he added.
Amit claimed the US was not a strong contender either. “The US. will not be a factor this year in the citrus trade in Europe. It seems that the US is out of the game this season,” he said.
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