'The decline of 11 per cent we first estimated will be even greater,' Salvatore Giardina, president of the citrus products federation of Confagricoltura said. 'This is due to a series of adverse climatic factors which have struck the main producing areas.' Sicily particularly has been hard hit. 'First by volcanic ash, then high temperatures which accelerated ripening, and then by strong winds which have swept fruit from the trees,' explained Giardina. 'And further complicating the equation, average prices are expected to fall by five per cent towards the end of the season. Basically, the situation is really penalising producers with a market becoming saturated either with imported fruit or Italian production which has ripened early.' Even help in channelling more product to industry has not had any beneficial effect on the market, lamented Giardina.

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