Conflicting reports emerging from Europe’s main lemon-growing area - Murcia in south-eastern Spain - are casting doubt on the size of the autumn citrus crop.
According to Alfonso Gálvez, the secretary general of producers’ association Asaja Murcia, harsh drought conditions this summer are a major worry.
He said: “We fear that the total lack of even a drop of rain this summer so far in Murcia means that the citrus crop for the autumn will be seriously affected both in terms of size and production volume.”
But at Spain’s national grapefruit and lemon promotional body, Ailimpo, the outlook is much less grave. Spokesman José Antonio García claimed the harvest looks as though it will be up on 2007’s very light crop. He said: “What we can see this year from our inspections so far is that production definitely looks greater than in 2007. Everything is pointing to a normal size crop for grapefruit too, and enough fruit to supply our markets.”
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