Spanish citrus growers were due to demonstrate outside branches of Aldi and Lidl on 13 January in protest at ruinously low prices for their fruit.

The action, which has been organised by growers’ organisations Ava-Asaja, La Unió and Upa and the German discount retailers have been chosen as a focus for the protests because of their heavy price promotion on Spanish citrus lines, the groups claim.

The producers’ representatives also presented the national government and Valencia regional authorities with a document detailing their plight and making various demands last week. They are calling for fair prices, an effective common agricultural policy, support for research and technology transfer, better plant health and quality control mechanisms, and stability and transparency in the supply chain.

Producers have seen farm-gate prices fall to less than half the price of production for easy-peelers and oranges in some cases this season and are now in an “intolerable” situation, Ava-Asaja president Cristóbal Aguado said. Losses in the Valencia citrus sector so far this season have reached €85 million, he added.

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