Spanish lemon prices are on the increase, as demand shows signs of outstripping supply.
Just four months ago, the sector in Spain was in the doldrums, with growers leaving fruit on trees as it did not pay to harvest. Now, however, a dip in Spanish production, as well as lower supplies from Turkey, is being felt on the marketplace.
Growers in Spain report prices of more than €0.60 (£0.45) a kilo for Fino lemons on the tree, rising to €0.90-1.00 for export-ready fruit. “After two years of heavy cropping, the trees are stressed and there just isn’t as much fruit,” said one grower in Alicante. He suggested that volumes for some growers were just 30 per cent of last season’s levels.
Flowering in Turkey last spring and summer was severely affected by a heatwave, and volumes for export have been significantly reduced, having a further impact on international availability.
Spanish producers are keeping a watch on their summer Verna lemon crop, which could come on stream as early as late March or early April. Many believe the tightness in supply on export markets is likely to remain until fruit from Argentina begins to make its presence felt in May.
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