Shortage of oranges raises prices and generates challenges in the market

The drought has hit the agricultural sector hard, significantly affecting citrus crops, according to Spanish media. This situation has had an impact on various supermarkets, which face a decrease in the supply of products and, as a consequence, an increase in prices.

 

Oranges have experienced growing demand in recent weeks, especially for the production of juice, due to the increase in cases of flu and COVID-19, reported by the Agrarian Association of Young Farmers of Malaga (Asaja).

 

According to the same source, 90% of orange production in Malaga comes from the Guadalhorce Valley, and the scarcity of water and the inaccessibility of reservoir reserves are considerably affecting the trees and producers.

 

Although there is supply for local markets in producing areas such as Malaga, large stores face shortages of merchandise. In response, many supermarkets are forced to import oranges from Egypt to compensate for the lack of product.

 

This situation poses a new challenge for farmers, since compensation with imports is not favorable to them in terms of prices.

 

Currently, a kilo of orange in a supermarket chain in Malaga is sold for 1.48 euros, and a liter of freshly squeezed orange juice is sold for 4.98 euros.

 

 

 

source: malagahoy.es